Discovery
by qjhayes11
Summary: A chance meeting in a bar sets Casey Novak up for the most unexpected change in her life as Olivia Benson reveals her biggest secret. It doesn't take long for sparks to fly and things to happen as we ride through the Novak years of SVU. Though not a cross over, it leads into them.
1. Chapter 1

_**Discovery**_

 ** _2003_**

Ordinarily she was a strong independent woman. Ordinarily, she was confident almost to the point of cocky. And ordinarily she didn't show weakness of any kind. But a mere three weeks as a sex crimes prosecutor already had her parked at a midtown bar downing scotch like it was water.

Already a dozen men had made passes on her tonight. Ordinarily she would have been flattered at the attention. Ordinarily she would have enjoyed sifting through the would-be-suitors for potentially compatible companions. And ordinarily she might have even picked one out to take her home. The highlights of the case she had just lost were still haunting her.

A man was dead and the murderer walked free because the victim lied to the police about his history. He was gay and concealed his partner's involvement to prevent him from being outed. That had gotten her rape case tossed. To make matters worse, the rapist turned into a murderer when he killed the victim and she got a second chance at him and failed. Again the victim's deceit had landed him an acquittal.

 _I'm a fucking idiot._ She thought as the bartender refilled her glass.

"Miss." He said in a comforting voice. "You've had four of these, I believe I'm going to have to make this your last call."

Still with her head hung low she shook it, sending waves of bright red hair swishing over her shoulders, "You stop when I tell you to stop." She said coldly.

"I'm sorry miss but it's the law." He said calmly, "You've had quite a bit to drink, can I call you a cab?"

Her head rose and her piercing green eyes bore into him as she took her glass into her hand again, "I'm an Assistant District Attorney for the City of New York. There is no law against public intoxication of alcohol. Furthermore, New York statute case Krenzler vs. Banner prevents servers of alcoholic beverages to quote 'cut-off' a person for consuming alcohol unless the patron shows signs of erratic, violent, or destructive behaviors or otherwise shows signs of a lack of control. Don't lecture me about the law, just pour the scotch."

"Just trying to help, counselor." He said before returning to another customer.

Casey Novak went back to staring into the brown semi-clear liquid in her short glass. From behind the straight red curtain of hair that shielded her from the rest of the bar, she noticed another figure sit down next to her.

Aiming to save herself yet another attempt at being picked up, she preemptively cut off the body next to her.

"Look, I've had a hard day." She said with malice in her voice. "I don't want company. I don't want to talk. I just want to sit here in peace and drink my scotch so take your pick up lines and go hit on the blonde at the other end."

The body moved but didn't get up. A low throaty velvet feminine voice replied, "Are you sure, I have some very catchy ones prepared. You on the other hand should go easy on the help."

She lifted her head and turned it enough to see striking mocha colored eyes and an understanding half smile. An oval face framed by brown hair with blonde highlights, Detective Olivia Benson nodded to the bartender who immediately brought over a Stoli Martini.

She took the drink and tipped her head sharply, a sign for him to leave them. Since Olivia was a regular he knew to leave her until she called him back.

Casey straightened up as she took in her detective's appearance. Wearing a long lavender dress that highlighted her curvy hourglass figure, showed off her strong shoulders and revealed a great deal of her ample cleavage, Liv looked sexy as all get out. A far cry from the rather mannish clothing she wore on the job.

"Well you're here so where's your partner?" Casey muttered, "Sitting in a dark corner keeping an eye on you?"

Liv sighed at the bitter tone, "I'm pretty sure he's at home with his wife and children."

"All dressed up." The redhead said appreciatively, "Must be a special occasion. You like losing cases?"

"Actually I was on a date." She countered, "He was nice but…" She shook her head.

"Couldn't handle the job again?" Casey replied starkly.

"I just didn't like him." She sipped at the martini, "He wasn't the kind of company I wanted tonight. So I thought I'd have a martini before I head home. I didn't expect to find my ADA drowning herself in scotch so I thought I'd check on you. Call it a professional courtesy."

"Professional." She snorted, "I certainly didn't look professional today."

A hand was placed on her thin shoulder, "You can't win them all, Casey."

"We lost this one because of this stupid idea of homosexuals in hiding because of irrational fears."

Liv set her martini down and tightened her grip on the ADA's shoulder. "It's only irrational when it's not you feeling that fear. People fear what they don't understand. Being gay isn't a crime. It's just a preference for sexual partners that differs from the majority of mainstream opinion. I can't count how many times I've arrested someone for hate crimes against gays."

"It's stupid, Liv." Casey refuted, "If Darren Walker had been open about his sexuality and his partner was too, I could have hung this guy by his testicles. But the victim lied repeatedly to police, to you, for what? Fear that he'd get fired? That his lover would get fired? They were afraid that their neighbors would turn them out? I just don't get it!"

"That's because you don't know what it's like." Liv said quietly. "You don't know what it's like to live in fear that some hate monger or religious fanatic is going to cut your throat simply because you prefer to sleep with the same sex. Think of how many times gays are targeted by dangerous homophobics who feel that same sex relationships somehow endanger them. One would think that having gay men in the world would make the heterosexual men happier because that's two less guys out there trying to get women."

"And the women?" Casey snorted. "How does the typical straight woman feel about lesbians?"

"Less competition but women have a tendency to be more emotional and then vindictive. Jealousy takes over because bisexual women and lesbians are every man's fantasy whether they admit it or not."

"I don't get it." She said again, "What is the big deal? So they sleep with the same sex. What is there to be afraid of?"

"Since gay's first started to emerge they've been labeled as the devil's work, sinners, promoters of diseases like HIV and Aids. They scare the majority of men because it violates their fundamental principles and they worry that if they see it, they might become it. Women are generally more accepting but again their retaliatory reactions are based more on jealousy than actual hatred though there are a lot of homophobic women out there too."

"Men worry about their vulnerabilities and women worry about their egos." Casey snorted into her glass, "When did that coin flip over?"

"Couldn't say for sure." Liv said and sipped the martini.

Casey looked the woman straight into her eyes, "How long did it take you to understand it? How many cases?"

Liv sighed heavily as she thought about her reply. Only two people in her unit knew where her preferences lie, it was a carefully guarded secret that she'd only kept for her last girlfriend. But she didn't have to keep it a secret anymore because Alex wasn't coming back. Still, she felt the need for some discretion.

Liv had a good idea that Casey wouldn't say anything if she asked her to keep it to herself. Elliot and Kathy had certainly understood but then again they were the only two friends she had that knew about her relationship with the Boston born ADA and that was only because coming out to them had saved the Stabler's marriage. Still she wanted to believe in Casey and maybe having something to share together might get the ADA to trust her and become a more solid part of the SVU team.

At least that's what she told herself.

 _Alex, I'm sorry, but I need to move on._ Olivia rolled her eyes gently down the length of the ADA's lovely athletic body. From her long legs to the top of her head, taking in the nice way her pants were wrapped around those lovely legs and contoured to her shapely hips and tight bottom. She admired the way the red blouse allowed the barest of outlines of a sexy lace bra that cupped the woman's small breasts. Casey's slender pale neck was kissable delicious and her burgundy lipstick highlighted her full cupid's bow mouth beautifully. Her eyes were what Olivia liked the most. _What would those eyes look like staring into my own while I make her climax beneath me?_ She finished with that shoulder length red hair that she just wanted to bury her nose in and learn all about her scent. Her thoughts threw her off for a second and she turned her gaydar on Casey. _Curious, she comes off straight but there is something else there._

Casey had been a little too drunk to fully realize how thoroughly she'd been checked out but she'd recognized that she _had_ been checked out. The thought was coalescing in her mind far slower than normal due to the rather large quantity of alcohol that was flowing through her veins.

Liv took on a hungry look and leaned in close enough to widen Casey's eyes, "It's different for everyone but for me, I _lived_ through it. I've _had_ those fears and I've wondered how long it would take before someone figured out _my_ secret and came for me."

Casey sat too stunned to move as Olivia downed her martini in one gulp and dropped a $20 on the bar.

Liv slid her small clutch on to her arm and again looked into those light green eyes, "I expect you to adhere to attorney/client privilege. Take a cab home and call me so I know you got home safe."

She walked out of the bar as if she owned the world. As if she hadn't just dropped a bomb on the redhead.

 _Olivia Benson is gay? How did I not see that coming? Oh my god, she checked me out!_ The thought was both riveting and terrifying. No longer did she feel like drinking she pushed the half empty glass forward and pulled out her credit card. The bartender made quick work of her tab and called her a cab. She barely noticed how long it took her to get home as her fogged mind spun around the idea of Olivia Benson being gay.

The weekend passed quickly and Casey managed to put away the demons she carried over the case she had lost as she digested who could possibly know about Liv's secret. It was a fair guess that Stabler knew. Hell they'd been partners for over five years now and it was hard to keep that kind of thing secret from the person you work so closely with.

Monday brought a new case to her desk and brought her to the 16th to assist in the investigation. The whole time she watched Olivia discretely for the signs that she thought she had missed but the tough detective revealed none. It was as if she had imagined the conversation on Friday night, a hallucination brought on by too much scotch. She had almost convinced herself that it was her imagination when Olivia caught her outside of the interrogation room.

"Hey Casey." She said quietly, "I know I probably shocked you on Friday but could you please keep your eyes and thoughts on the job? I really don't want to be outed to the entire SVU."

"I thought I was being careful." She replied cautiously.

"Elliot picked up on it immediately and has been keeping Munch and Fin distracted." She said in a whisper, "If you have something to say, just say it, but please don't say it here."

She walked off without another word leaving Casey feeling rather embarrassed.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Acceptance_**

 ** _2003_**

The rest of the week passed quickly. Olivia and Elliot chased down a pedophile and a necrophiliac. The evidence was strong and Casey sold the jury quickly on both cases landing them two more convictions and putting two more dangerous criminals up in Sing Sing. Munch and Fin collared a rape gang that Casey got sent to Attica for fifteen years each. It was a productive week and the SVU team invited her to their local bar for celebration drinks.

Casey was feeling pretty good about the job and as Arthur Branch (the DA of New York) said she was starting to want this job. As she walked into the bar she heard shouts of approval from a table not far from the waite station.

Elliot stood up with a beer in his hand, "There she is! The woman of the hour!"

Liv sat quietly next to her partner as Munch and Fin cheered, waving her over.

"C'mon, Counselor." Munch said as he pulled a chair out for her. "We've got a lovely place for you next to the lovely Detective Benson."

Something in his voice caused her to hesitate as Liv smiled in conversation with Captain Cragen.

She straightened and came to the table, as a true gentleman Munch guided her seat for her as she sat down.

"Thank you," She said nervously.

"What'll you have, Novak?" Elliot said as he grabbed his empty beer bottle.

Seeing only beer on the table except for the glass of ginger ale in front of Cragen she smiled up at him, "Something light and domestic."

He smiled and nodded as he headed to the bar.

Liv smiled warmly at her as she turned back to the Captain and their baseball conversation, "Martinez cracked that one right off of Waechter with no balls and no outs."

"It doesn't matter." Cragen said nonchalantly, "Tampa Bay played better than the Yankees and we got our asses handed to us. The bottom line is that if they don't step up, they're going to be in trouble this year."

Casey listened in until Elliot set the bottle of beer in front of her. "Don't get sucked in counselor, you'll regret it."

She laughed at his warning as he took a seat on the other side of her.

Cragen leaned around Olivia, "Just so you know your leave is approved for May."

Elliot slapped the table hard. "Yes!" he shouted in triumph.

Liv laughed, "El, relax. You knew we'd get approved. 1PP likes the publicity."

Wanting more answers she looked over at Olivia. "Okay, I'm apparently out of the loop on this."

Fin sipped at a beer before setting it down, "Every year one of the major gun manufacturers throws a huge cop party out in the middle of nowhere Illinois as an appreciation for the force."

Munch nodded, "It's a huge ordeal that's by invitation only, Liv and Elliot here have been going for three years now and they made friends last year with an up and coming star over at the 12th."

"She's a good detective, Munch." Liv defended, "And a damn good cop."

"Never said she wasn't but your inability to produce the name of this person makes you a suspect." Munch chuckled.

Liv leaned over the table and grinned wide, "I'll keep the name and her unit to myself. Last thing I want to do is get in the way of her rise to the top."

Elliot snorted loudly, "Really? That's what you're going with?"

"What?" Liv said innocently.

Elliot shook his head and looked at Munch. "She's working a sensitive case undercover so we can't say her name. We shouldn't even know anything about it but she's still kinda new so she asked us for some tips. She's a helluva cop and we'd hate to see anything bad happen to her."

He looked over at Casey, "Please keep that to yourself, Casey."

"I haven't heard anything." She said, "So there's nothing to keep to myself."

He nodded and looked back at his boss. "I think I like her."

"Don't let your wife hear you say that." Cragen cracked.

Laughter erupted at the table. Casey didn't fully understand the joke but as reassuring hand on her shoulder had her smiling, she looked into Liv's eyes and the older woman mouthed "later."

As the jokes and stories were passed around Liv caught a waiter and whispered into his ear. In minutes later he placed a fully loaded double bacon cheeseburger in front of her and a very full basket of French Fries.

"Jeez, Liv." Fin snorted, "That thing looks like a half pound _after_ cooking. You want me to order the rest of the cow for you too?"

Liv picked up the large burger with two hands and smiled at him. "I'm hungry" was all that she said before she took a large bite.

"For as much as she's been eating lately," Stabler said as he snitched a fry, "I'm stunned that she's not gaining weight."

Liv rolled her eyes and held up the burger towards him. He shook his head and waved his hand, "I'm still good from lunch even though you stole half of it."

"You gotta watch out for Liv," Munch said, "She'll steal your food so smoothly, it'll make you think you ate it and just don't remember doing it."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She said quietly.

"C'mon, baby." Fin said in his smooth baritone voice, "You can tell us the truth."

"Liv," Munch looked over the rims of his glasses, "Are you pregnant?"

She started laughing at him. "No Munch, I'm not pregnant. It's this new workout routine I've been doing. It burns more calories than I have in my body."

Munch glanced at Fin and the look he got back said he wasn't buying it either.

Liv groaned as she set down the burger and stood up. Without a word she pulled up her shirt enough to reveal her hips and stomach. Some whistles from around the bar as well as compliments from her own table greeted her and she smiled with pride.

"Damn girl." Fin said in admiration, "You look like you're building some abs."

"If one of my ex-wives had a stomach like that, I'd pay the alimony in person just to see it." Munch nodded.

Elliot glanced at his partner and nodded, "You're going to have to tell me your secret. Help get the beer off my belly."

His eyes fell on the redhead who was staring in open mouthed fascination. "I think our ADA has been rendered speechless."

A few laughs and Liv was sitting, back to tearing up her food. Casey shook herself out of the stunned state she had fallen into.

Liv's tawny flat stomach was impressive even to a woman who had a flat belly and she wished that her own looked like that.

"You have to tell me how you did that." She said quietly to Liv.

The detective smiled kindly, "And create competition for myself, I don't think so." She laughed and again placed a hand on her shoulder.

The rest of the night was uneventful and soon Cragen piled the boys into his car and took them back to the station before heading home, leaving Olivia and Casey standing on the curb waiting for a cab.

Liv hummed lightly as she looked up the street. Casey right next to her but she was looking nervous.

Liv glanced at her and frowned. Casey was fidgeting.

"Hey." She said to the shorter redhead, "Are you okay?"

Nodding slightly she kept messing with her purse strap, "I'm fine, why?"

"You look like a long tailed cat in a rocking chair factory." She said truthfully, "Look, if I would have known coming out to you would make you this nervous I'd have kept my mouth shut."

"Why did you?" she said as she dropped the purse strap and looked up at her.

"Because you were trying to make sense of homophobia when there isn't any." She said, "We've worked together for a while now and until last week, you had no idea that I like women too. I thought that knowing more about me would help you understand what we deal with and maybe bring you a little closer into the team."

"Women, too?" Another bombshell rocked Casey.

"I'm bisexual." She said, "I like men and women."

Casey stared off into the distance, "I… I thought you… I thought you were hitting on me."

The cab pulled up and Olivia chuckled as she opened the door for her, "C'mon. I promise I won't maul you in the back seat of the cab."

 ** _Understanding_**

Liv had the ADA give her address first so she could be sure the woman got home safely. It was just her nature and a constant she had accepted long ago with the first rape victim she ever investigated. Still Casey was nervous and fidgety in the cab.

"Ask me whatever you want, Casey." Liv said calmly. "I won't be offended."

"Does Elliot know?" She asked just to fill the uncomfortable void.

"Yep." She said nonchalantly, "He's my partner and it's hard to keep things like this from your partner."

"I figured." She replied, "And Munch, Fin and Don?"

"I'm pretty sure Munch figured it out but he's too much a gentleman to ask about it. I don't think Fin would care. And I don't talk about my sex life with my boss though I know he'd just tell me to be discrete."

"Then why haven't you told any of them?" Casey asked.

"Because for one, it's my business and no one else's. Second, I'm not ashamed of it but I don't go around advertising it." She hesitated, "And because someone that I was seeing asked me to keep it quiet so it didn't affect her job. I still keep that promise even though…" She hesitated and Casey saw her fighting back her sadness.

"Olivia I don't mean…"

She shook off her tears, she wouldn't do this. She wouldn't break down in the back seat of a taxi cab. "It's still hard to deal with."

Casey wanted to comfort the woman but she and Olivia weren't close enough for hugging so she settled on a hand on the muscular shoulder. "I'm sorry, Olivia."

The brunette looked at her and nodded with a slight smile. "I know. I… I just miss her."

Olivia must have broken up with her girlfriend recently to have this kind of fresh heartbreak that could hurt her by a mere thought of her. "How long?"

"Not long." She replied.

Casey nodded and dropped the subject. Last thing she wanted to do was bring up the past. Olivia was still struggling as the cab pulled up to Casey's address.

"Hey. If you want to talk, I'll listen." She said.

Olivia sighed, "I know. Thank you." She said as she gripped the thin small hands in her own. "I appreciate it but I'm fine."

As she let go, Casey gave in and wrapped her arms around the detective, holding her tightly. She felt Olivia's strong arms place themselves on her back and squeeze lightly before letting go.

She extricated herself from the car and tried to pay the cabbie.

"Lady in the back says she's got it." He said as he rolled the window up and drove away.

As she pulled back the blankets before climbing into bed that night, Casey tried to make sense of how her life had brought her to these very different people who all shared a common belief that brought them together and united them. A firm sense of moral obligation to protect the victims of the most heinous crimes that can be committed against another person. Tonight she had been accepted as one of them, not just as a replacement for Alexandra Cabot, the ADA who was killed by a drug cartel.

Casey dropped the pillow she had been fluffing and jerked upright. _Alexandra Cabot!_

 _"How long?"_

 _"Not long."_

 _"A woman I was seeing asked me to keep it quiet so it wouldn't affect her job."_

 _"_ _I still keep that promise even though…"_

Bits of the conversation took on new meaning when she put the blonde ADA into the picture. _That's why she's torn up. Her girlfriend didn't leave her, she was killed!_

She rushed into the living room and snatched up her phone. Before she knew it the line was ringing.

 _"Benson."_ The voice said sleepily.

"How can you even stand to look at me!?" She shouted.

"Casey," and there was concern there, "Are you alright?"

"Liv." She said, "I'm doing your girlfriend's job! How can you even bare to be in the same room as me?"

There was a sigh of relief at the other end, "Jeez counselor, you scared the hell out of me."

"No wonder you and Elliot were so damn mean to me the day I met you."

"Stop it Casey!" the woman shouted, "Stop, it's not your fault and you're not to blame. I know that. It's why I've gone out of my way to treat you better than that. And who told you that I was with Alex?"

"You did." She said sharply, "In the cab. You told me enough that I put it together."

"Listen to me." Liv's voice went into cop mode "You can't tell anyone that, ever!"

"Alex is gone, Liv." Casey said softly, "I don't think it can hurt her."

"Alex… Alex is gone because a cartel put a hit out on her. If you say anything to anyone about this you'll endanger not just me but the entire unit. I can't have that on my conscience so, Shut! Up!"

Ignoring the fierce tone Casey spoke, "I can't go to sleep on this so I'm coming over." She slapped the phone closed and threw on some clothes.

 ** _Awakening_**

Liv let her in after the first knock, "What's the matter with you?"

Casey barged right passed her and plopped down on the old couch, "I like things nice and neat. When I hear something that gets me going, I can't stew on it for a weekend or even overnight. I can put it aside for a while but before I go to bed I have to process it. So that bombshell that you left me with on Friday sucked royally and I don't want another weekend like that."

Liv closed the door and turned towards the redhead. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it would affect you like that."

Casey stared at the tall, voluptuous woman who was standing by the door in a tank top, zippie and sweatpants. She doubted that was what the woman wore to bed but probably put on to make her guest more comfortable.

"Why did you come out to me?" asked the redhead.

"I told you. So you ca…"

Casey cut her off, "That's bullshit, Olivia."

Having been found out Olivia didn't have much of a chance at covering up her indiscretion. So she sat down at the far end of the couch and came clean. "I had a lousy day too and my date? Well let's just say that his interests were right here." She cupped her large chest indicatively. "We see how women are objectified every day and I don't want to be another notch like that so he had to go. I'm more than a nice rack and a pretty face but that's what most men see and I hate it. It's part of what made me go both ways."

Casey leaned forward; listening to what she was sure was a part of Liv that wasn't seen often.

"That night I was feeling pretty low and I saw you there, sitting alone, looking just like how I felt. I wanted to come over and join you, spend an evening with you where we could get our minds out of the gutter we work in. I don't usually come on to people I work with but you were sitting there and even in your anger and misery you were beautiful. I wanted you to spend the night with me but you had a lot to drink and I felt like I was violating you just by wanting you."

Casey heard the regret in her voice and the sorrow, "I wasn't offended or violated. You were nice and sweet, I just don't do that. I've never, not with a woman but I was flattered."

Liv's head fell slightly, "It's probably for the best anyway. I, um, had a hard time keeping my relationship with Alex separate from our professional lives. Plus I'm still hurting from her loss."

The young redhead eased closer to her and took her hand, "I'm really sorry that she's gone, Liv."

"So am I." She said in sadness, "it wasn't always good but when it was it was the best."

"I'm not her, Liv." Casey said softly. "I might have her job and I'll be your friend but I'll never be her."

"I know." She said as she looked up into those green eyes, "I'd never want you to be."

"So let's start over," she said, "I'm Casey, I'm single, and I've always thought of myself as straight."

Liv smiled as Casey tried to alleviate the tension. "Hello Casey, my name is Olivia. I'm single too and I'm bisexual but I favor women."

"I take it redheads are your thing?" She said as she flopped her hair cutely.

Liv laughed at her antics, "Not really. My last girlfriend was a blonde and I was once in love with a woman who had jet black hair. I like a slim figure without being overly athletic."

"Little boobs okay for you?" She asked while giggling and turning an attractive shade of pink.

"I like them smaller than mine, yes." Olivia said as she leaned an arm over the back of the couch and traced light patterns on the bare shoulder of her ADA. "But I have a real soft spot for lawyers. I get giddy over smart women."

Casey smiled, "Gluten for punishment from the leach squad huh?"

She smiled lightly, "If you've always considered yourself straight then why are you here?" Liv said again tracing her fingers over smooth flesh and getting goose bumps in response.

"I could say that I want to know how much trouble I'm in but the truth is that I kinda like the attention I've been getting recently." Casey said breathily. "I've never thought about things like this before."

Olivia smiled again, "I thought lawyers were supposed to be open minded about the unusual."

"And I try to be but I've been taken out of my comfort zone last week and I'm trying to figure things out now."

"What would you like to do, Casey?" Liv said as she leaned in to her slightly. Her zippy fell open revealing the outline of large breasts under a tank top and ample cleavage, the points protruding from the shirt left nothing to the imagination about interest.

Casey's pulse thudded in her ears as heat pooled between her legs. It wasn't a disturbing thought that her breasts tightened and her other areas brought her sex drive up to speed, it was that she never felt this from a woman before and it was playing havoc with everything she knew about herself.

Her mouth was dry and her breath hitched in her throat as she tried to contemplate what was happening to her. It was such a rush of hormones and endorphins and she was having the hardest time thinking as her body began wanting, needing, craving.

"I… I can't think." She replied unconsciously. "I…"

Liv cupped her face and brought it closer to her own and Casey closed her eyes, both in pure fascination and utter dread, and awaited those full lips to contact her own. Her breathing heavy and her lips parted slightly. But when Liv's delicate lips touched her, it wasn't what she had expected, or rather where. Liv pressed her lips to Casey's jaw near her ear and kissed ever so gently.

"You need to go." She whispered breathily.

The statement alarmed her for a second, _did I do something wrong?_ Liv got up from the couch and gently pulled Casey to her unsteady feet.

"I can't do this with you." She said regretfully as realization came to her.

Casey opened her eyes to see that Liv was every bit as wanting to touch her as she was aching to be touched. She opened her mouth and that strong slim finger was placed over her mouth.

"Casey, give it time." She said, her breath dripping with desire. The same desire that roared in her Mocha colored eyes. "I'm sending you home wanting tonight but you'll be grateful for it tomorrow."

Before Liv could pull her finger away, Casey's lips pursed and kissed the finger lightly.

Liv smiled slightly before guiding her to the door.

"One kiss?" She pleaded breathily.

"Even one would have us falling to the floor in a frenzy." She said as her hand clutched and clawed at her own zippy. "Please, Casey, just go home tonight."

Casey didn't understand what was happening to her but what little rationality she had left knew that Liv was right. She needed to go home.

"And tomorrow?" She asked her voice hot and needy.

"We'll figure that out then." She said with a smile. "Go now Casey."

She walked out of the door and as she left she heard Liv's good night and the door shutting, she heard three distinct locks click in place and she felt her body infuse with a new determination, she had to get home, relieve this ache and try like hell to figure out what just happened.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: I apologize for the mix up. The chapter two that was set with Alex and Olivia was actually Chapter 1 of Disclosure. I've made the correction and posted it properly. Disclosure and Discovery are being posted together to illustrate Liv's relationship with both, this becomes important in another story.**_

 _ **Communication**_

Casey had spent the better part of the night under the care of her personal appliance. She'd had to change the batteries midway through the night as she tried to bring this fire under control. When she had finally managed to soothe that desire, she lay down on the couch wrapped up in her bedspread and had the first clear though since Olivia had basically told her that she was attracted to her. She never got to finish that thought as sheer exhaustion from her self-romp took over. Casey hadn't realized that she'd fallen asleep so the last thing she had expected was to wake up to the continuous sound of the door buzzer.

It was an annoying sound but whoever was pushing it managed to be polite but insistent. Flipping her hair out of her face she looked up at the clock on her small at home desk, eleven thirty in the morning.

She groaned as the buzzer sounded a short zap again. Pulling her blanket over herself she tromped to the intercom.

"Who is it?" She said throatily.

"Up and at 'em, Counselor." Liv's voice said cheerfully, "NYPD with a wellness check."

Casey let her head fall towards the wall, her forehead hit the entry buzzer before she could tell Liv that she wasn't prepared for company.

The chime sounded that the door had been opened and Casey panicked as she ran to her bedroom, her blanket trailing from her nude form. She jerked the blanket and threw it on the bed and rummaged through her laundry basket for something that wouldn't scream about her activities last night. Her pajamas were out as she had almost tore them off last night. She found an ancient looking pair of sweats and one of her court shirts. She jerked them on as the knock on the door announced Liv's arrival to her door.

She looked around the room and groaned as she realized that it smelled of sex and was torn asunder from one side to the other. She cursed as she went into the living room and closed her bedroom door before rushing to the entrance.

She tried to manage her hair but it wouldn't be tamed without a long shower, shampoo, a blow drier, and her favorite brush. Releasing the deadbolt but leaving the security latch in place she cracked the door open.

Liv stood in the hallway, a brown paper bag in her left hand and a coffee in the right, Coffee that she held through the limited open door.

"Low-fat frap with two shots."

Casey groaned as she took the coffee cup, "Thank you but I really wasn't expecting a visitor today."

Liv gave a kind smile, "If the living room and kitchen isn't too bad, I'll wait there while you shower and clean up."

 _How does she always know?_ Casey groaned again as she shut the door and opened the latch. She cracked the door again and headed back to her bedroom.

"This is harassment Detective." She said as she closed her bedroom door.

Liv laughed as she came in to Casey's nice, tidy apartment. The furniture wasn't new but it was well taken care of and cozy. She smiled again as the sweet scent of Casey Novak permeated everything and it was a scent she was growing to adore. But the room also held the gentle tang of sex in the air. A scent that caused her skin to heat.

She cracked open a window to allow the air to escape, hoping not to embarrass Casey any more than she already had and to settle her own pulse. Seeing everything else in semi order she made her way to the kitchen and pulled out the things she'd need to make the ADA breakfast. Inside the bag was her usual fare of eggs, sausage, biscuits and cheese. Protein is what the young woman needed this morning or at least Liv had when she'd had her Awakening.

She located a baking tray inside the oven and started to preheat as she pulled two of the dough balls out of the can. She recapped it and put it in the refrigerator. Inside she noticed that everything inside had a date written on it in black sharpie.

"You can't be that OCD." She chuckled out loud. The drawer next to the fridge was neat and orderly, with only one small basket that had pencils, pens, and markers in it. She sighed in relief, a true OCD would have had baskets for each item in there. She found the sharpie and wrote today's date on the top of the can and placed it on the shelf.

She set up the skillet and placed the baking tray in the oven and got started on the rest of breakfast.

Casey came out of the bedroom twenty minutes later, lured out by the heavenly scent of food.

Liv smiled as she placed a slice of cheese on top of the egg and stacked it on the sausage before placing the top of the biscuit on it.

"Sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit." She announced, "The perfect food for restoring lost carbs and protein."

Casey shook her head in bewilderment, "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon."

"Well," Liv said, "I figured you'd need to talk to someone who can keep a secret. I've kept my relationship secret for three years so I'm very trustworthy. The first few hours after an Awakening can get scary."

Still in her bathrobe and with hair that was damp but brushed, Casey gave in and sat down at the table, Liv poured the second coffee into a cup and put it next to the ADA's glass of milk.

"After an Awakening, what is that?" She asked as she started to carve up the biscuit with her fork.

"A lot of people call it a lot of different things." She said as she assembled another biscuit. "That's what I've always called it. It's that unchangeable moment when you realize that you're gay or, in my case, bi. Awakenings are different for everyone who has one. Some people, like Alex, have their Awakening around puberty and are able to accept it quickly. Some like me aren't that lucky. Mine happened when I was twenty and just after I joined the Academy.

"I always liked to look at girls but I never really thought about being gay until I was in the showers with a bunch of girls after a long day of training. I had heard all the gay till graduation bull and I stupidly thought that the others would understand. They didn't but one girl stuck up for me and helped me see that side of the world. Camille didn't sleep with me, she was straight but she had a gay sister so she understood. There's no shame in loving a woman but keeping it discreet has helped me a lot on the force."

She smiled down at the redhead who sat on the edge of her seat listening.

"I know that it can be confusing. It can feel wrong if you had a catholic upbringing, and even frightening if your social circle is homophobic. But one thing that Camille taught me was that it's not a sin to love and to be loved. It's my job to not just respond to victims but also to prevent people from becoming victims. For you, I'm going to help you come to terms with your new found sexuality."

Casey leaned her elbows on the table and looked up at her, "You going to try to sleep with me?"

Liv snorted, "No, counselor. I only go where invited."

The memory of last night rushed through her, "I invited you last night."

"No you didn't." she said carefully. "You weren't ready for this. If I'd have known that you hadn't had yours, I would have been very careful not to put you into a position where I could trigger this in you. Each person should come to their Awakening on their own terms because it's an extremely vulnerable point in their lives and it shouldn't be treated callously. I triggered your Awakening and I have to be here to help you come to terms with it."

Not knowing why Liv felt this kind of responsibility towards her she pushed the empty plate away, "Well I absolve you of any responsibility."

"It doesn't work like that." she replied, "Casey, you're my friend and someone that I work with. Neither one of us can afford to be awkward."

"Who said it would be awkward?" Casey challenged.

"You don't feel awkward around me?" Liv sighed.

"I'm embarrassed at how I acted last night, that's all." She said confidently as she straightened up in her chair.

Liv eyed her and Casey deflated and slouched, "Okay, I feel awkward. I've never been attracted to a woman before and all I can think of is dirty thoughts about you."

"You're not the only one, Casey." She said, "Please sit up straight because you're not helping."

"The way I sit is making you hot for me," She asked in disbelief.

"No but the way you're slouching is showing you off." Liv said simply,

Casey looked down to see that her robe was curved away from her chest giving Benson a clear and unrestricted view of the small mound of pale flesh tipped with pink.

She straightened sharply and pulled her satin robe tighter. "Yeah, now I'm definitely feeling awkward."

"Try it on this end." She groaned. "You're exactly my type and now I have to contend with that image in my head."

She sighed in resignation. "So what do we do now, aside from crawling into my bed for the rest of the day?"

"As much as I want to, I can't do that." She replied, "Just know that I'm here and you can talk to me about any of it. Aside from that until you're comfortable with it, be careful not to out yourself or anyone else."

Liv got up and slipped her jacket back on, "Call me any time."

She left, leaving Casey sitting alone in her kitchen but thanking her lucky stars that she wasn't alone in this.

 _ **Agitation**_

 ** _Several weeks later..._**

True to her word, Liv always answered the phone when she called and answered every question that she had asked, no matter how embarrassing or difficult. Except the one that had bothered her the most over the last month. If she was Bisexual, how come no other woman attracted her? It wasn't Liv's fault that she never answered her because she had never asked.

She had gone out with men several times and had even slept with a few. It was the same as every other time. She had fun, she went to bed and depending on the guy's skill, she returned home satisfied. She compared it with every other experience she had with every other guy. Some were good, some not so much. But what she had always called a great orgasm failed miserably in comparison to the night of her Awakening. She had come like a bomb went off half the night and now everything else seemed a little less great than it had before.

Tonight she wanted to find out why.

Liv sat across from her at the restaurant she had invited the older woman to. They had exchanged pleasantries and small talk up until about five minutes ago when the awkward silence started.

Liv finally sighed and set her fork down. "What's on your mind, Casey?"

"Nothing, why?" She replied casually.

"C'mon Case, this is me you're talking to." She said calmly with her interrogation voice. "Not that I mind you taking me out to dinner but I can tell that you're thinking about something. After all of the things we talked about I would think you'd trust me by now."

Casey looked up into those mocha eyes and set her wine glass down. "I think there's something wrong with me."

"How so?" Liv asked with concern.

"I'm not attracted to women." She said nervously, "I mean I know what you've said and I know that I like women but I'm not attracted to anyone. Men are fine, I know what I like and what I don't but a woman hasn't caught my attention."

Liv opened her mouth to reply but Casey cut her off by raising a hand, "I've looked. I've been to gay bars, made out a few times but nothing."

Frozen in shock, she stared at the redhead, "Not one single woman?"

"Just you." She said quietly, "When I think about women, you're the only one I feel anything for and its strong."

Liv leaned back in her chair and contemplated that. _It wasn't possible_. There was no doubt that her gaydar read Casey as heavily favoring the male side of bisexual. She looked up and caught Casey staring dreamily at her breasts. When the redhead realized she'd been caught she lowered her eyes and a flush of pink colored her lovely pale cheeks. She was definitely attracted to her.

Liv's eyes widened as the answer rolled through her. The last couple of weeks had been difficult questions and honest answers. Things that had frustrated Casey to no end but had also brought them closer as friends and the result wasn't something that Liv had ever wanted. Not even from Alex. She couldn't hide it from Casey, she had to tell her the truth but she didn't want that responsibility. Fortifying herself she leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table.

"I've heard about this but I've never actually seen it before because it's rare. I never thought that I'd see it myself."

Casey started to tremble slightly, "What, what's wrong with me?"

Liv reached out and took her hand, "Nothing is wrong with you Casey. It's just a shock to someone like me to find out that you're a onesie."

"A what." She asked.

"A onesie is a term for someone who is gay for only one person." She said, "You can sleep with other women but for you, it's like being straight and doing it anyway. Never had I ever thought that someone could be gay for me alone and to tell you the truth, I don't want it."

"That means that if I don't sleep with you than I won't want to sleep with any woman?"

"That's basically it." She blew out a breath, "Aside from your attraction to me, you might as well be straight. Either that or you're extremely picky when it comes to women."

Casey decided to confide her last secret to her. "I can't look at another woman and not compare her to you."

Liv dropped her head in her hands, "Oh god, you _are_ a onesie."

"You say that like it's a plague or something." Casey barked.

"No it's not that." She said as she wrapped her hand around Casey's "I don't have very good luck when it comes to relationships and the last thing I want to do is hurt you. Being a onesie is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because of the devotion and a curse if it goes wrong. The fact that men still excite you is good but damn I don't want to hurt you, Casey."

"I have these feelings in me that I can't get rid of so tell me what I can do because I don't think I can go back to being just straight."

Liv took her hands again and this time her touch was delicate, "Do you know how hard I've tried to keep my attraction for you under control? To find out that you're a onesie and that it's me? My god Casey, I want you but I don't trust myself with you and the biggest temptation is because we work the different ends of the same job which as you know my job is why none of my relationships worked out very well."

"Because they're either horrified or too interested in what you do." Casey said softly, "I remember you telling me."

"Casey, don't think for a second that I'm not interested." Liv replied, "I just…"

"We can do this Liv." Casey tried soothing Olivia, "Just because I get wet every time I see you doesn't mean we have to."

"Now why did you tell me that!?" She said sharply, "This is hard enough as it is."

Casey groaned at her slip, she hadn't meant to make this difficult but the burning sensation inside her was becoming unbearable and it was starting to affect her.

"Liv, I'm sorry but I can't think anymore." She said heatedly. "And it's happening a lot faster than it used to. Whenever I get near you, I start losing my head."

"I know." Liv sighed, "It's not any easier over here."

"What can I do?" She groaned, "I can't afford to keep replacing batteries."

Liv's eyes widened, "How many."

"About a dozen and there the good ones too." She was having the hardest time filtering her thoughts from her mouth.

Liv's eyes grew dark and her skin heated up. She'd had no idea that her friend was suffering like that. "I didn't know it was that bad." She took Casey's hand and looked deep into those green eyes that were tormented with unfulfilled longing. "I'll go pay the bill."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Compromised**_

Liv came awake to a pounding on her door and a warm body next to her. She rose up on an elbow and looked at the woman who lay next to her. Casey's red hair was draped over her face and Liv couldn't resist using a finger to curl it behind the younger woman's ear. A satisfied smile was firmly placed on the sleeping woman's face and Liv couldn't help but admire the lusciously delectable lips that had tasted every square inch of her body. She pulled back the blanket enough to admire the slim arms, toned shoulders and perky breasts that she had lavished with kisses.

Casey was as sweet as anyone she had ever known and the younger woman had been completely insatiable last night. Liv smiled at how wonderful she had been. It was the kind of sex that everyone dreams of and she felt amazing. Until she heard a voice in her apartment.

"Liv, are you here!?" Elliot's manly voice echoed into her bedroom right before he poked his head into her bedroom, "Liv, are you okay? its after…"

He stopped as he caught sight of a sleepy redhead who had just come awake looking at him over the mound of blankets.

"I guess that explains why the DA was looking for Novak at the precinct." He said with a slight smile.

Casey's cheeks turned almost as red as her hair as she buried her face into Liv's shoulder.

"I'll go start the coffee while you ladies get dressed." He said as he pulled the door closed.

Casey groaned, "Oh god, my first night with a woman and I got caught!"

Liv fell back into the bed and stroked her shoulder, "It's my fault Casey. I didn't set the alarm."

"If he says anything…" Casey's tone got hard fast.

Liv cut her off, "Elliot and Kathy had kept my preferences to themselves for years. He won't say anything if you ask him not to."

Casey sighed heavily as she settled in to Liv's arms. "I never thought it could be like that."

"Now you know why I favor women." She replied gently before kissing her softly and disentangling herself from the redhead and the bed.

Casey groaned as she too climbed out of bed. Liv turned on the shower and before she could do much else Casey had beaten her to the toilet. Soon they were both in the shower, rushing through their individual morning rituals as they hurried to get ready for the day.

Elliot had been true to Liv's word and hadn't said much as he drove them to Casey's. She needed to pick up a suit before she made it to the office or she was going to do the walk of shame in front of the entire Judicial System of New York. The idea was unacceptable and she was afraid that everyone there would know exactly who she had been with. She knew it was irrational but that feeling just wouldn't leave her. The Darren walker case made a lot more sense to her now.

Half an hour later, he pulled up to the DA's office and let Casey out.

"Thanks for not being a jerk about this." She said to him.

"Look Casey," He said with a serious grimace, "Liv is more than just my partner, she's also my best friend and losing Alex has been really hard on her. I've seen how she's starting to smile around you and I hope that you can be what she needs. She's not as tough as she looks and if you break her heart, we're going to have a real problem. Aside from that, I keep her confidence because she asked me too and just so you know, I won't tell anyone about you either."

Casey nodded nervously, "Thanks, Elliot. I appreciate it."

He nodded before opening the door, "See ya later, Novak."

He shut the door and Liv gave her a warm but private smile from the passenger seat as Elliot drove away. Casey smiled back and turned around to head inside.

She was met at the door by Arthur Branch, The New York District Attorney, he was also her boss.

"Now since I just saw you get out of a cop car can I assume that you've been on the clock this morning?"

Casey's smile wilted a little, "No sir. I… missed my wakeup call."

An imposing figure DA Branch nodded severely, "I had Donnelly move around your cases this morning except for the Tisdale trial. She got you a one week continuance." He narrowed his eyes on her, "I like to reset my alarm right after it goes off in the morning so I never have to remember to turn it on at night, give it a try."

He moved his hefty bulk out the door and down the stairs. Casey blew out a sigh of relief even though she was convinced that the DA had seen through her. She rushed through security and up to her office where Elizabeth Donnelly, her section chief, was sitting on her desk. Upon seeing her, Liz looked over her protégé carefully.

"Must have been some night." She said as she dropped the filed onto her desk, "Next time, give me a call so I'm not scrambling all over town to cover you."

Casey shook her head, "No it's not…"

Liz cut her off, "Casey, I know you too well and from that smile on your face, he must have been very good. Just don't let it affect your job again."

She wanted to tell her mentor the truth, to try and get a different perspective but she was afraid of what Liz would say. Casey clammed up tight and nodded to her as Liz walked out into the hallway and disappeared.

Casey had just breathed a sigh of relief when her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket to see the number for Olivia's desk phone at the 16th.

"Hello, Liv." She said, "I made it in okay."

" _Glad to hear it counselor but this isn't a social call."_ She said in her official voice, " _I need an Order to Compel on Malcolm Lewis for a DNA sample."_

It took her a moment to get the thought of Liv last night out of her head, "On what grounds?

" _His alibi just fell apart and we need to compare samples."_

"Can you establish that he had opportunity?" She asked carefully.

" _C'mon, Casey, the guy looks really good for this. He's lied to us twice. Lied to you once and now his alibi is toast. I just need to get him to give DNA and we can tie him to this."_

Already she considered which judge would sign the warrant but Donnelly's words echoed hard in her head, " _Don't let it affect your job."_

"I need more." She said, "Put him at the scene and I'll get it to you but I can't just produce a compulsion on your instinct alone."

" _It's not my instincts, Miss Novak."_ she said in irritation, " _He lied about his Alibi and he was well within reach of the crime scene. You've done more with less."_

"Liv, I have to be careful here." She said and was about to agree to getting the compulsion when the phone disconnected sending that annoying beep straight into her ear.

Frustrated at how quickly Olivia's entire attitude changed, she was tempted to let her stew when she recalled three separate cases where they got DNA through a court order on fewer grounds. She sighed, _this is going to get very complicated._

It was why she didn't date defense lawyers. At some point she was going to come up against someone she was involved with and it was a complication she tried very hard to avoid. And in the last three months she found herself doing several things she never would have expected. She pushed motions and warrants far earlier than she felt comfortable with. She proceeded into indictments and trials before her detectives had finished investigations. She had thought it was because of the horrendous crimes that SVU investigated tortured her heart and offended her conscience. As she headed over to the courthouse to get the DNA compulsion, she couldn't help go through her memories looking for any attempts of manipulation from SVU or Olivia herself. She wasn't very happy with what she found but there was nothing solid enough to call manipulation.

Despite her attraction to Olivia, she still conducted herself as a professional, but she had pushed the very letter of the law beyond reason more than once. But as she remembered Olivia, Elliot, Fin, Munch, and even Captain Cragen run investigations that were barely legal. She had gone toe to toe with them more than once over legality and procedure.

Shortly after getting an Order to Compel she caught a ride in a blue and white over to the 16th. And when she entered the SVU squad room, she found it mostly empty except for the Captain.

"Where is everyone?" She asked.

"Out looking for something to tie our latest victim to Malcolm Lewis." He said in a not very friendly manor. "Our perp struck again."

"This should help." She said as she pulled the order out of her pocket. "When you see Benson, tell her that she was right."

He looked at her with prying eyes, "Counselor, can I talk to you a minute?" He said as he headed to his office. "Close the door."

She did and Cragen sat on the edge of his desk as he gauged her. "I need you to do something for me counselor."

She leaned against the door, "If this is a personal legal matter, I can't represent someone in criminal court."

Continuing to stare at her he shook his head slowly, "I demand professionalism from Benson when it comes to her personal life. She's not always successful but up until today it hasn't affected SVU's relations with the DA's office. I don't have to explain to you how important that relationship is."

Fear gripped her hard at what he was insinuating without speaking of it. She had to say something. "I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Don't play with me, Casey." He said, "You have to be the one to draw the line because her empathy for the victims will override her head sometimes."

Casey leaned against the door wanting only to fall through it and escape. "I… I, um. I…"

"Relax, counselor." He said, "You don't have to say anything. But don't think that I don't know what's going on in my unit. Just keep it professional on the job.""

The desk phone rang, "Special Victims, Cragen."

He turned on the edge of his desk as he listened, "Novak's here with your Order to Compel. Meet up with Munch and Fin at his work and pick him up."

He dropped the phone in its cradle and looked up at her. "You're welcome to ride along if you've got the time."

"Um, No." she stuttered, "I have to get back but I need to call a cab."

"Munch and Fin will be back in a few minutes." Cragen stood up and moved to sit down behind his desk, "I'll have them drop you off on their way to Lewis's work."

She nodded, "Thanks."

Her pulse didn't lower until after she had left his office.

 _ **Expectations**_

Two days later Casey was sitting at home with the Lewis case on the coffee table, an open beer next to the paper and her baseball bat in her hand as she prepared for the trial. Sure Tom cruise did that in a few good men She had finished the arraignment today and wanted to make sure she had everything perfect in her head before opening statements were heard.

The last thing she was expecting was the door buzzer ringing around eight o'clock. Grumbling at the interruption she leaned the bat against the couch and answered the intercom.

"Who is it?" She asked in a huff.

"Liv." Came the reply.

Groaning, Casey pressed the button to let her in and cracked her door open. A minute later Olivia came in to see the redhead going over the case and mock arguing to the empty room.

She smiled as she shut the door and set the bag in her hand down on the floor. She watched as Casey, bat in hand, argued the DNA that was a perfect match and shouldn't be suppressed. She had seen Alex do this many nights when she had a difficult case to try but the Lewis Case was a slam dunk with the DNA.

Casey finished her questions and finally set the bat down again.

"What are you doing here?" She asked and not in a very pleasant tone.

"I wanted to see you." The tall brunette responded.

"You could have called. You could have sent me a text. You could have done anything other than dodge me for the last two days." Casey countered as if Liv was on trial. "Why did you show me these things, make me feel things that I never expected, make love to me like I've never had before? Never once had I even considered having sex with a woman and then you walk in to my life and turn it upside down in a day."

Liv stood there, completely stoic. Finding out that you're attracted to the same sex was hard enough but adding the job that they did to the situation didn't help. She had hoped that they'd get a few days before they went to opposite ends of a topic, and the inevitable argument that would happen.

She remembered when she and Alex had gotten into a battle royal of a good fight over probable cause about two weeks after they started seeing each other. It had left them both fuming until neither could stand being apart anymore and then they talked it out and compromised. She was hoping to avoid the huge fight with Casey.

"I thought you'd want time to cool off." She said slowly before slipping out of her shoes and approaching her lover carefully. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Casey narrowed her eyes, " _You_ hung up on _me_."

"And I came over to apologize." Picking up the bag she brought it into Novak's tiny kitchen.

"Fine," she growled, "Apology accepted."

The angry tone grated on her but she forced herself to remain calm. Casey was like her, emotional but very good at keeping it hidden, mostly.

"I had this problem before." She said as she pulled Chinese take-out out from the brown bag, "When I was with Alex, sometimes she thought I was using our relationship to push things through. It wasn't true. Well mostly it wasn't true. Sometimes I did cross the line, sometimes she did. But after that first argument, we agreed to always keep talking. To always keep the lines of communication open."

"I'm not Alex." Casey said sternly, "I can't be her, Olivia, and I wouldn't disrespect her by trying to be."

Liv looked up at her, "I know you're not her and I'd never expect you to be her. I'm glad that you want to just be you. Casey, we both have a job to do and sometimes were going to butt heads. But I really can't figure out why you're giving me a hard time over a compel order that you've done for SVU a dozen times over."

Casey deflated slightly, "Because I don't know who asked me for it. The passionate cop who wants to get a sicko off the street or…"

"Or what?" She asked her attention fully on her.

"Or the woman I've slept with who needed something and uses the fact that she's had her fingers inside me to get her way." She said quietly.

"Oh, Casey," Liv said as she came over to the redhead, "That is the one thing that I won't do to you. I'll try to push you, cajole you, whatever I need to do to get the job done, but never will I use our sex life to get my way on the job."

"That's exactly what it felt like, Liv." She said. "Just hearing your voice got me hot but you pushed and I reacted. I need to satisfy certain burdens before I can get warrants and compulsions and being gay is something that is crazy new to me and for Christ's sake Liv, I've only slept with you the one night, and that was one night before this happened. What am I supposed to think?"

"You could give me a little bit of credit." She said in exasperation. "I've never done that to Alex and I won't do that to you."

"Oh yeah, remember how you said that you don't talk to Cragen about your sex life?"

Liv froze at her words.

"He knows." She said sharply, "And I didn't tell him."

"How could he know?" Liv barked in anger, "No one knows!"

"He knew about you and Alex too." She started towards her. "He said that I have to be the one to draw the line between work and us. He said that's what Alex had to do, too."

"He said that?" Liv asked as she took Casey into her arms, "He didn't tell you to back off?"

"No, he just said that it's his unit so don't think he doesn't know what's going on." Casey let herself fall into the embrace as she rested her head against Liv's shoulder. "I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything. He took me completely by surprise."

"Oh honey," Liv said sweetly, "I didn't know he knew or I would have told you. That must have been awful."

"I've been worried that everyone could see right through me but when he told me that he knew, it was like all those fears coming true. That's why I kept to myself the last two days."

"You should have called me." Liv said as she ran her hands through red strands of hair. "I would have been here for you."

"But I thought you…" she stopped, it was a stupid and she knew it, "I should have called."

Liv pulled away slightly, "Casey, just because we argue or fight about the job doesn't mean that I'll hold that against you if you need me."

Casey looked into those eyes and she wanted to believe that Liv loved her but it was all still new. "Will you stay with me tonight? I… the last two days were hard."

Liv nodded as she cradled Casey's head, "Of course I will." She bent her head towards Casey's and their lips met again. Casey's reaction was immediate as her lips parted and her tongue met Liv's in a sensual caress. Liv rubbed her arms up and down her lover's back and gripped the hem gently.

In response, Casey let go of her grip on Liv's back and raised her arms over her head. Liv didn't waste any time as she pulled the shirt over the ADA's head and dropped it in a heap on the floor. Her hands returned to the exposed flesh that wasn't hidden by the racy red lace bra.

Likewise, when Casey's hands dropped, they fell to the buttons on Liv's shirt. She made quick work of them and ran her hands along Liv's hard abs. When her hands roamed over Liv's dark bra her lover dropped her hands as Casey pushed the shirt down her shoulders. Liv smiled as she nibbled on Casey's earlobe.

"We should take this into my bedroom."

Liv nodded as she nibbled the crook of Casey's neck and started guiding her that way but they never made it.


	5. Chapter 5

_**First i'd like to say thank you for all of your wonderful reviews, in five chapters i've never had so many and it shows that my writing is improving which i think is any writers goal. I'll start by explaining why it took so long to update, I've been in the hospital for a while with a health issue, but while i was recovering from surgery i got a little clarity in my painkiller infused state. I mumbled it into my phone to save it and imagine my surprise when i played it back and none of it made any sense at all. I've heart 12 month old babies make more discernible words. But after i got off the IV's i started typing. and I've been going strong ever since. Now that i'm home i'm excited to share with you what ive done. Now, we are going to have some crossover, but since this story is one of two prequels to a much larger series I've written, some things i had to give on, like who i made one of Casey's best friends. For the most part it's all mentions, to date i only have one character from another show making an appearance and its at the bottom of this chapter. I really hope you enjoy and the Curious Wanderer, Zarosguth, and I thank you for reading. please enjoy.**_

* * *

 **Satisfaction**

Casey's skin tingled as her breathing started to normalize. She couldn't believe she had never considered this before. Liv was by far the best lover she had ever been with and the gorgeous detective's touch was sublime. She seemed to know exactly what Casey wanted and when she wanted it. Casey wasn't as knowledgeable and Liv had to guide her often, but it wasn't a discouraging experience because Liv wasn't afraid to show her what she liked. Casey had no nervousness about it. She simply paid attention and soon Liv didn't have to do anything but enjoy Casey's ministrations.

A chill creeped up Casey's heated flesh and she shivered sharply. Liv's hand stopped stroking her back and reached up to the couch in search of a throw blanket. Finding something soft she pulled on it and ended up covered in the attorney's clean laundry. The basket bounced off of them and rolled away slowly.

"That worked out better in my head." She chuckled

Casey laughed, "My bed has a warm blanket on it."

Gently moving Casey's clothes off of them she paused as she held up a black thong that had a patch of satin on the front that was only slightly bigger than her badge. "That involves movement." She said absently as an image of Casey wearing this went through her mind. "After what you've done to me I doubt I'll be able to move."

Casey snatched the thong out of her hand and dangled it from one finger. "Come to bed and I'll put this on."

Liv was up and on her feet before Casey realized it. She watched as Liv bolted through the bedroom door and dove into the bed. Casey laughed again as she slid into the panties and put a sexy sway into her hips as she strutted through the bedroom door.

She came in and immediately rested her hands on the bed, her eyes were a vibrant green as the heated look made Liv shiver at what was to come. Casey kept that eye contact and slowly crawled up to Liv on all fours. It was hot and needy as she hovered over the buxom brunette and laid the gentlest of kisses on the outside of Liv's thigh. She continued to drop soft gentle smacks along her lover's body, careful to avoid the more sensitive areas. Kissing her way up between Liv's breasts, Casey began to lave her lover's neck and finally nibbled at her ear as she gently lowered her slim body against Liv's. It only took a second for two strong hands to begin caressing her, tracing the edges of the thong.

"Olivia." She whispered gently right before she sucked a soft lobe into her mouth.

"Oh, Casey." She replied. "Baby don't tease me."

A gentle nibble and a flick of the tongue and Liv rolled her over on her back, taking control. Something that Casey was enjoying the hell out of.

An hour later they had almost drifted off to sleep, Casey still wearing the black thong that was now in dire need of her washing machine. The air was rife with sex and both of them revelled in their mixed scents. Liv caught herself dozing and jerked slightly, causing Casey to stir.

"Did you set the alarm?" She asked as Casey stroked her stomach.

"Yep." She said sleepily, "I reset it this morning."

"This morning?"

"Arthur Branch gave me the idea when I came in late the other day. He said he resets his alarm every morning so he knows it's already set when he goes to sleep."

Liv chuckled, "Gotta love Artie."

Casey buried her face into Liv's neck and inhaled gently. When she had been assigned to the Special Victims Bureau, she thought she would hate it. Neither Elliot nor Liv had welcomed her and after that first week she never would have thought she'd find the comfort she needed, and in the arms of a woman no less. The idea that this woman was Olivia Benson was inconceivable.

Satisfied to a level she scarcely believed possible, she wondered how long this would last. It was a scary thought considering just how new all of this was to her. But, as she drifted off to sleep with those two strong arms wrapped around her and her own leg hooked over a beautifully curved hip, Casey wished this could last forever.

 **Arrangement**

It was a little over two weeks before they were fighting again, this time over a search warrant. Olivia knew that she was reaching when it came to the search, but she argued that it wasn't because of her relationship and that she'd have asked even if they hadn't been together, which prompted Casey to argue that if they hadn't been lovers Liv would have dropped it and done her job by now. The argument had gotten heated to the point where Elliot had stepped in to separate them before Cragen got wind of it.

It was Elliot who had solved the debate.

"Okay," he barked in the crib, "I can see that this is going to get ugly if you two don't come up with something. So here it is." He turned Liv, "Court stuff goes through me. We need a warrant, a compulsion, or whatever. I'll call Casey for it." He turned to the redhead, "This way so you won't be so quick to think I'm asking for something I shouldn't."

Casey couldn't believe it, "You're kidding me."

Liv put her hand on her forehead and blew a breath of air as she walked around the crib. "It' makes sense. I know I'm not asking because we sleep together. I'm asking because we need the search warrant and like you in court, sometimes I have to argue until I get what I need."

Glaring, Casey crossed her arms over her chest and tried not to imagine Liv's flushed face last night, the sexy one that resembled the angry one right now. "I told you that you needed more before I can give it to you." She looked over at Elliot. "And that's when she started laying out her argument."

He stood right in front of her and looked down into her eyes. Liv was right, that green was a gorgeous color, "I'll fight with you too counselor, but at least when you fight with me it won't cost you her." He said quietly as he tipped his head to his partner. "Understand?"

Casey looked to her lover, who was now sitting on one of the bunk beds, hands clasped together, staring at her with those beautiful mocha colored eyes. Still not entirely convinced Liv hadn't gone too far she let it go and realized that she too might have gone overboard.

Her head dropped and she nodded, "Yeah. I get it."

"I'm doing this for both of you." He said calmly to them both, "I know how she can rile people up. She does it to me often enough." Liv cast him a petulant glare that reminded him of Alex. He turned back to Casey, "But, I see how good you two are together and when we get paired off with one or the others I expect you two to put on your big girl pumps and try to keep it civil."

This earned him a glare from both of them. "Now about that search warrant."

Cragen watched all three of them leave the crib together. Casey nodded to Liv and headed straight for the elevator. Liv replied with a slight smile and headed to her desk. Elliot followed her until he saw Cragen. He turned back towards the break room and headed inside. Cragen joined him a few minutes later.

"Is this going to continue to be a problem for them?" He asked in that tone that only Captains seemed to have.

"Naw." Elliot said as he put money in the vending machine. "We've got a new arrangement going."

"The terms of?" he pushed.

"They're both quick to think the other one is pushing too hard over what they do after hours." He said, "So I'll make the calls on the warrants so they can keep a little distance."

Cragen nodded, "This better work, Elliot. I don't want this to become an issue anymore."

Elliot cracked the can and leaned on the machine, "It might happen again. All I can do is keep it from happening every other day."

Cragen looked over at Olivia sitting at her desk. "They're too much alike. I hope this works."

"Like I said," Elliot said casually, "I can't guarantee that they won't fight but I can try to keep it to a minimum."

"Good." Cragen said and passed him a stern look, "Because if this blows up any bigger, 1PP or the DA gets wind of it, I'll put them both out to keep this unit out of the mess that it will create."

"Captain-"

"No, Elliot." He said firmly, "I let it go when it was her and Alex because Alex kept it off the radar. But if she and Casey can't keep it down, I'll report them myself. It's a major regulation and I will not let this undermine the SVU's credibility. Make sure they understand."

Elliot nodded as his captain walked away.

He hated to admit it, but Cragen was right, Casey and Olivia were playing with fire that could burn the whole unit and the Captain had every right to shut them down. The fact that the old man was something of a romantic was the only reason he'd let it go so far. Elliot sighed as he realized that he'd taken Alex's need for secrecy for granted. Casey didn't have such a need and that's what made it dangerous.

 _ **Announcement**_

 _ **Four Weeks Later...**_

Having to steal some time away from both the hospital and her children, Kathy Stabler was excited that her husband was taking her out to Le Bistro in Manhattan. She didn't know what her husband had in mind but she did know that he was dressing up for the occasion. So she'd found a beautiful blue dress that showed her figure well and had done up her hair and make up. She'd looked fabulous as her husband had come up behind her and told her as much.

The ride into the city was quiet and despite her prying, he wouldn't tell her what it was about.

"Kathy I'd love to tell you but it's not my place." He smiled as he took her hand, "Just trust me."

She sighed, groaned, and bartered as best she could but to no avail.

Upon arrival at Le Bistro, a valet took off with their minivan and the Maitre d' escorted them to a table. "Mr and Mrs. Stabler, I will alert the rest of your party that you have arrived. Gastone will be your waiter this evening."

Elliot gave the man a twenty and nodded, "Thank you."

Kathy looked at him, "The rest of our party?"

He nodded as he sipped at a glass of water, "I put the reservations in my name so it would be a surprise." He checked his watch, "I wonder how it worked out."

Kathy glared at him, "Elliot."

"Here they come." He said and stood up.

Kathy was lost as she stood up, particularly when a familiar redhead was walking up to the table. "Elliot?"

But who was behind the grinning girl was no surprise at all. Olivia smiled and waved to Kathy as she arrived, hand in hand with the redhead. Kathy put on a polite face and mentally thought of ways to make her husband pay for dragging her out just to meet up with his partner. Until the redhead smiled back at the detective.

"Kathy." Olivia said warmly. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Liv." She said kindly.

"Kathy, I don't know if you remember me." the redhead said, "I'm Casey Novak, I'm the SVU's Prosecutor."

It clicked in Kathy's mind. She'd come over to the house looking for Elliot's help on a case. "Oh,yeah. I remember you now.

"Isn't this place something else?" Shyly she smiled at the blonde, "I've never been to a restaurant this nice."

"I thought all lawyers were rich." Came the reply.

Casey shook her head as Liv seated her, "Not when you go to college on a GI Bill, they pay for your classes and your materials. I'm still in hock paying off my student loans for boarding and one very long night in the care of Boston Police."

Elliot chuckled, "Now that must have been a good story."

"Harvard Law," Casey supplied, "Let's just say we won the bet against Boston Cambridge, the cops were called, and there was this dark haired rookie who took exception to my drunken mouth. Despite having an attitude problem she kept me separated from the rest of the idiots, mostly so she could berate me on her own."

Liv laughed, "If you ever remember her name, you just let me know and I'll go up there and put the screws to her."

Casey laughed. "Believe it or not, she did me a huge favor by keeping me out of lock up."

Kathy laughed, but something about this was very odd to her. She didn't understand exactly what was going on.

Liv smiled at Elliot and Kathy and then frowned as she caught the look on the blonde's face, "Elliot didn't tell you what this was about did he?"

Kathy shook her head, "Apparently not. I actually thought this was dinner for two."

Elliot tugged at the collar of his dress shirt. "Honey, I said it was a celebration."

She remembered that he'd said that more than once, "I thought you were getting promoted or something."

Liv and Casey frowned, "Elliot!" They barked together.

"It wasn't my place to say anything." He defended.

"Kathy." Liv said, "I'm sorry, your husband should have told you."

"Told me what?" She asked.

Liv took Casey's hand into hers and held it up, "Casey and I are involved and we wanted you and Elliot to come celebrate with us since you're the only family I have."

With everything starting to make sense now. Olivia Benson, her husband's crush was once again involved with another woman. Both relief and joy washed through her, especially at Olivia's words of family. She hated that she liked this woman so much.

"Elliot!" She barked. "Jeez, you could have told me."

"It wasn't my place," He said as the waiter poured them wine, "It's the happy couple's dinner, and their invitation."

Liv shook her head, "Kathy, any time you get tired of him you can come stay with us."

"He keeps this up and you better save me a spot on the right side of the bed." Kathy eyed her husband as he groaned, "Hey, your friends are lesbians, don't think that means there won't be guy bashing."

Liv smiled, "When in Rome, Elliot."

He smiled, "You let me know when we get to Rome and I'll start bashing my own gender."

"Oh he bashes his own gender enough at work." Liv chuckled, "Against the table, against the wall"

"Hey, I'm your ADA," Casey interrupted, "I don't want to know this."

They all started laughing as the waiter came to take their order.

 _ **Midtown Grille**_

 _ **Four months later...**_

Casey hurried into the restaurant ten minutes late for her meeting. Since moving to the Special Victims Bureau, she rarely got to see any of her friends from White Collar Crimes Bureau. So when her friend Erin called her and said she'd be in the neighborhood, Casey dropped everything though she had wanted to see Liv first. Though she and Erin exchanged texts and occasional phone calls they almost never saw each other except for maybe the occasional coffee at the courthouse. As a result she was running late enough to where she had hopped a cab instead of riding her bicycle which was still at the 16th. She wouldn't have any time to pick it up until the end of the day.

Smiling as she caught sight of her good friend, Casey shrugged off her jacket and hung it on the back of the empty chair.

"Am I imagining things or did I just see you get out of a cab?"

She grinned wider, "Yeah, I had something to take care of."

Erin Boyle was five foot six, gorgeous and built like a supermodel. And with her new way of seeing things, she could honestly say that her friend was very attractive in her pencil skirt and button up shirt, she made a note as to how many beautiful women she had as friends and wondered how Liv's tendency of dating lawyers hadn't gotten around the rumor mill.

On the other hand, Erin was looking at her friend and her very satisfied grin as she sat down. Her friend looked downright giddy and she was certain that she wasn't the cause.

"Nice look, Casey. Who's the new boyfriend?"

Casey pinched her brows together and shook her head, "I don't have a boyfriend," She said in a brushing off tone. _I have a girlfriend!_

"Uh huh." She said not believing her for a second, "You don't want to tell me, that's fine, I can make up my own story. Casey Novak is sleeping with her Bureau Chief."

Something passed over Casey's face before she laughed, but Erin couldn't quite identify it. "Ha! As good as she looks, Elizabeth Donnelly isn't my type."

"Oh sex crimes has a Female Chief," Erin chuckled, "Yeah, I can't see you with her. So seriously, who is it?"

"You going to tell me how the sex is with your husband?"

"It's married sex." She replied nonchalantly, "Humps me like a German Shepherd. In and out and onto the food bowl, pathetic really."

"Hey, I told you not to marry him." Casey chided, "He's never satisfied with anything."

"Yeah well, I love him anyway." Erin said softly. "Maybe a nice teddy."

The word caught Casey off-guard as she imagined full lips parting and white teeth pulling the cups down before a soft tongue flicked at the tips of her breasts. She shuttered and shook herself out of the thought. Something that wasn't lost on Erin.

"I saw that." She said sharply, "C'mon Casey tell me about this new guy who can get your pale face to flush like that."

Groaning Casey hedged the truth, "Okay. I've been seeing one of my detectives."

"CASEY!" Erin chided, "C'mon, you know better."

"I know." She said in a sigh, "We tried to deny it for months but eventually we couldn't help ourselves. We just started something and oh my god, it's been just amazing."

Erin smiled, not just at her friend's words but also at that ridiculous smile. "Well it sounds like he takes good care of you."

Not answering directly, she nodded. "What about you, how are things with the family?"

"Oh, the same." Erin said as the waiter brought over the lunch she preordered for them. "Dad's taking care of business, Danny's still nuts, Nikki cut her hair short, as in "bulldyke" short."

Casey cringed at the word.

"I know," Erin shrugged, taking Casey's reaction entirely in the wrong direction, "She makes it look... I just hope she's not going all the way with it."

"All the way, what?" Casey asked, having a bad feeling where this was going.

"You know." She said quietly, "I hope she doesn't turn into a lesbian."

And there was that look again, Erin tipped her head to the side slightly.

Casey sipped at a water and frowned, "There's a bright side to that though. If she did, you wouldn't have to worry about her messing around and getting pregnant."

"Yeah, I guess but it's still not something a mother wants for her daughter."

Again that odd look followed by another, awkwardness. Erin's eyes went wide as an epiphany struck her. "Casey!"

She looked at her watch. "I really should go get my bike. I'm going to need it later…"

She moved to get up but Erin caught her hand, "Casey, I'm sorry. I… I didn't know. I thought you were…"

She pulled her hand out of Erin's grasp, "I've got to go."

"Casey, stop." She called, "Please."

It was the please that did stop her, she looked back at Erin. Her friend was obviously dismayed by her words and Casey felt for her. It wasn't her fault that she was uncomfortable that one of her good friends figured it out. She turned back to the table and sat down.

"It's obvious that she makes you happy." Erin was reaching and Casey appreciated the effort.

She nodded as she picked up her fork, "Yeah, she does."

"Well, that can't be bad." Erin said. "I'm really sorry, Casey. I didn't mean to hurt or insult you."

She nodded as she poked at the salad in front of her.

Erin sighed, "So how long have you been seeing each other?"

"Technically, it's only been four months." Casey said softly, "But, we've been sleeping together for about six."

"So is it just sex?" Erin watched Casey carefully.

"Not just sex, although that is amazing." Casey's look got dreamy, "She's sweet and caring and she's got a really hard job so on occasion she needs me to be the strong one. When we go out, she makes me feel like I'm all that matters."

Erin nodded and smiled sweetly, "That's really great, Casey. I don't think I've seen you so..."

Casey smiled, she couldn't help it, "Giddy?"

"Yeah," Erin's lip twitched, "That's good word for it."

Erin fell into silence, a silence that started to be uncomfortable to Casey. A million things ran through her mind as to what to say next but none of them seemed to want to be asked.

Erin reached first, "So how long have you..." She struggled to finish that sentence.

Casey on the other hand took example of Liv, the night she came out to her. "...been into women?"

"Yeah," she shifted slightly, "feeling very awkward now." It wasn't everyday one of her friends turned out to be gay.

"Relax, Erin." Casey said reassuringly, "She was the first one. I've never been attracted to women like that before her and I'm not attracted to any others. I'm..." she hesitated, "I'm... gay... only for her."

"So..." Erin stopped and sighed, "I take it you haven't told your parents."

Casey's eyes widened and she shook her head violently, "Oh no. I really don't even want to think about that right now."

She nodded her understanding, "I know but you've always brought your boyfriends home for Independence Day. You know you could always say that she's just your friend."

She stopped eating and started pushing a slice of tomato around on her plate, "I can't do that. You know my dad, we've always been honest to each other. I couldn't lie to him like that."

"Well knowing you like I do," Erin smiled, "You've probably already told him all about your girlfriend, even if you haven't told him that she is your girlfriend."

"Jesus." Casey groaned, "You really need to get out of my head. It's full of things you really don't want to see."

"Speaking of seeing," Erin smirked at her friend, "Let's see her."

Casey arched her eyebrows, "What?"

"I know you've got a picture of her." Erin said, "I want to see who turned my best friend to the other side."

Sighing in resignation, Casey pulled her wallet out and pulled out her picture holder. She selected one that she snapped of Liv in her bathroom. She was dressed in her court suit and was smiling as she applied her lipstick. The picture was one that always made her smile and she proudly handed the folder to Erin.

The brunette's eyes observed Casey's smile before falling to the picture. Her eyes widened slightly, "She's gorgeous." Erin said, "You mind?"

Casey nodded, giving Erin permission to scroll through her pictures. A few images later she found one of Liv in her workout clothes, holding up her kettlebell.

"Oh my." She held up the phone. "She's built better than my husband."

"The thing I love about her look is that she doesn't look like those female weightlifters. She's well developed, but not bulky at all."

"You know." Erin looked at the image, "She reminds me of this figure model my little brother is just in love with. Ava Cowan."

"Oh god, I see her face everywhere." Casey grumbled. "My baby looks way better than her."

Erin looked at the pictures again before handing them back, "Yeah, I mean I'm not into women but I can see that."

Erin looked back up at her friend, "It's so good to see you happy."

Casey nodded, "Now if I can just close out that cold case of mine. I'd have everything.

"Yeah," Erin said quietly, "About that..."

Casey looked up hopefully, "You found something?"

"No." Erin reached across the table and took Casey's hand into hers, "I was going to call you today when I got lucky enough to come up here. Branch knows one of his DA's is pulling a side job. I don't know if it's your cold case or not but you need to let go for a little bit."

Casey frowned, "I can't do that."

"Casey listen to me." Erin pleaded, "It's too cold and it's way out of our jurisdiction. I'm mean can't you hire a Private Investigator to take up the case for a while?"

"NO!" Casey barked and the rest of the restaurant started looking at her. She sighed, recomposed herself and looked back at Erin with a much calmer voice. "Like you said, the case is too cold for any PI not to charge an arm and a leg for doing nothing. You're the only one I've trusted enough to tell you why I'm doing this. You know that I can't let it go, and I can't trust anyone else."

Casey slid her chair out from under the table and stood up. "Erin, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to get involved in this and I appreciate the heads up about Branch. I'll be careful."

Erin stood up and caught her friend by the arm, "I'm sorry Casey. If you'd let me ask Danny or even my Dad, I know we can find something."

"Erin, I can't." she said again, "You know that I've done things to find answers that could get me and anyone else in trouble. and no matter how hard I try, I can't let it go. If it were you..."

"I'd have the entire NYPD digging into it until that baby was found." Erin said without hesitation, "My dad wouldn't settle for anything less."

"And neither would mine." Casey replied. "I need to get back."

"Casey?"

The ADA stopped walking.

"At least ask your girlfriend to help." Erin said, "She's got better resources than we do."

"I'll think about it." She turned back, "Thanks for being such a great friend."

Erin nodded. "Good luck."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Coming Out**_

 **In the beginning of June '04.**

Casey walked into the squad room talking on her cell phone. her eyes instinctively turned to Olivia's desk as she continued her conversation. "Yeah, about that, I don't think I can come home this year."

Liv frowned and looked up as Casey made her way to her desk. "No, I just... Dad, I know but... well yeah, of course I want to, I just don't think I can get away."

She pulled the warrant out of her pocket and set it on Elliot's desk. "Dad, I know. I can come home for Memorial weekend but I can't get away for the Fourth..." She sighed as she sat down in his chair. "No, it's not that at all. Honestly, I'd rather it be the other way too, I know. Believe me, I can go without Aunt Ruth's bad version of Pecan pie." She chuckled, "Remember last year, even the dog wouldn't eat it, and Chops will eat anything."

Liv laughed at the idea, catching Casey's attention, "No, I haven't found it yet...Yeah and on that thought, I have to go... No just got a warrant for my detectives... Yeah, love you Daddy. Bye."

Casey clicked her phone off and blew out an exasperated breath.

Liv just smiled at her.

"What?"

"Nothing," she said, "How come you can't go see your parents on the Fourth of July?"

Casey looked at her, "Because I want to spend it with you."

Liv blinked and shook her head, "Don't do that. All I was going to do was hang out at Elliot's barbeque and later I'm going to work the on call shift. You should go."

Casey leaned over Elliot's desk, "Liv, I'm going to see them while you and Elliot are at LETO. It's fine."

"No, it's not." Liv said and looked around to see who might be in earshot. Seeing no one, Liv lowered her voice, "I know what it means to your dad, Case. You shouldn't disappoint him like that. Believe me, if I had a father like yours, nothing could stop me from going to his favorite family holiday. You've never missed Independence weekend with your family and you shouldn't start now."

Thinking about the conversation she had with Erin last week Casey glanced around, "Come with me then."

Liv jerked, "What?"

"C'mon Liv." she pleaded, "Barbecue, baseball, beer, boating on the Potomac River, lots of big pretty explosions. Come with me."

Liv shook her head, "Casey, your parents don't know me and they don't know about you. What if they found us making out or something?"

Casey closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, she knew where this was coming from and she hated it. "I'm not Alex, honey. I haven't told them about us because I want to do it in person. I don't expect them to just be okay with it right away but I know my dad. He won't turn his back on me over it though I don't know who will need more time to adjust, him or my mom. C'mon, they know all about you already. I talk to my mom all the time and my dad at least three times a week."

Liv sighed. "Casey. I don't know. Your dad is career Army. I just don't want to put you on the spot like that."

Casey smiled at her lover's thoughtfulness. "I'll tell them on Memorial weekend while you and Elliot are at LETO and when you come back, I'll be at home." She glanced around the squad room. "Waiting in a sexy teddy."

Lives eyes grew smokey but she forced herself back on the subject.

"I want to be there to support you." She said quietly. "Please, Casey. I'll come with you but don't do this alone."

Casey smiled, "Baby, trust me. It's my family and I know how to handle them." She placed a gentle hand on Liv's shoulder. "I'll tell them and no matter what, just like at Christmas, I won't let you be alone on a holiday."

Liv smiled, Casey always went so far for her and she felt so appreciative for it. Casey looked at her watch, "Damn, I have to run." She leaned down and whispered in Liv's ear, "Come stay at my place tonight. I've got something I want to show you. It's red and lacy."

Liv's eyes widened as the ADA sashayed out of the squad room.

 _ **Homecoming**_

 **Memorial Weekend '04**

 **Colonial Beach, VA**

Tom Novak was a career Army soldier whose services dated back to his time as a door gunner in Vietnam for the 7th Air Cavalry. He'd witnessed Lt. Colonel Hal Moore being the first on on the ground at La Drang in 1965 and he'd personally fired shots to keep that Colonel and his men alive during the week long historic battle. In fact, Moore's bravery was the reason he'd done two more tours in 'Nam despite being shot down three times, one of which nearly crippled him, earning him a purple heart.

After the war, he'd been stationed at the Aviation School at Fort Rucker, Alabama to give his experiences about the battle and his other tours in Vietnam. For the most part his postings were stable, putting in a tour of duty at Fort Benning, Fort Leonard Wood, and eventually Fort A.P. Hill, where he met his first wife, Margaret, who gave him two sons; Denis followed Gregory by a year. But a year later, cancer took Margaret from them all. More than a year after that a one night stand produced twin daughters. Daughters he didn't know existed until an adoption agency contacted him to find the mother.

Tom made sure that Casey came home that same week, though her sister was still missing. He'd done everything possible to find her, but as of yet, there was still no sign of Aimee Novak.

He'd hired a nanny to help tend to his children and soon Caroline fell in love with not just his children, but the old wardog too. He'd never once lied to his children. Greg and Denis knew that their mother died of cancer and Casey knew that she and her twin came from an old man's drunken night with a waitress. It didn't matter because Caroline was the only mother they ever knew and she was a damn good one to them, all of his children called her mom.

But even now, as he waited for his daughter, Caroline walked on to the front porch and put her arm around his lean waist.

"Casey called ten minutes ago, said she was leaving the rental car center."

He nodded. "That means she'll be here any minute."

She smiled as her husband of twenty years put an arm over her shoulder. "Our baby has been gone too long. She cancelled on us for Thanksgiving and then on Christmas."

He nodded again.

"I think Casey has someone new in her life." Caroline cooed. "Ooo, I hope he's a handsome successful lawyer, just like her."

Tom snorted at his wife. "As long as he makes her happy that's all I really care about."

Unfortunately, neither one knew that Casey would put her father's words to the test.

Within a minute Casey drove up the drive in a brand new red Monte Carlo. She parked it next to her brother's Avalanche and got out with a grin plastered on her face. She quickly rushed from the car to greet her parents.

"Mom, Dad." She pulled them both into a hug. "Gosh, I missed you both."

"My god, Casey." Her mother shrieked. "Look at you! You look so good."

She stepped back and brushed off her lime green t-shirt. "Awe, Mom, c'mon. I wear this stuff all the time."

Her father rolled his eyes at his wife. "Your mother is under the impression that there is a new boyfriend in your life. I suspect she was referring to your smile."

"Tom Novak, don't you be embarrassing our baby girl." She chided. "So who is he? What does he do? When can I meet him?"

Casey's smile wilted a little. "That's something I want to talk to you both about later, for now it's just good to be home again."

Her father's gaze told her that he knew she was ducking the question. The only burden of growing up in a military home was her father's ever watchful eyes. Growing up, neither she nor her brothers got away with anything. She brushed off the thought. She'd come here to tell them about her new relationship and before the night was out, so would be her secret.

"So where's Greggy and Denny?"

A voice called out from the driveway, "We're out here sis."

She looked towards the garage to see her brothers standing proudly in the garage.

Casey let go of her parents and dashed to them.

Greg snatched her up into a bear hug. His Army fatigues scratching at her face but she didn't care as he picked her up.

"Damn girl." He groaned. "Don't they feed you up in the Big Apple. I swear you weigh nothing."

As he sat her back on her feet, she smacked his broad chest, "Yeah, keep talking _sergeant_."

"That's "staff sergeant" if you don't mind." He said. Brushing his three chevrons and single rocker.

"You got the promotion!" She chirped. "Congrats."

Her other brother stood up from the Quad he was wrenching on. "Yeah. Greg knows how to kiss brass. Fortunately you have another brother who keeps it real."

Casey reached around Denis and hugged him tight. "You'll get your stripes soon enough."

He smiled as he patted her shoulder. "I made Corporal last month."

Cadets eyes widened. "Wow. An E-4 NCO. Nice job Denis."

Greg rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his short black hair. "Don't let him fool you. The name Novak means something in the Army."

Casey smiled at them both. "You guys deserve it."

"So what about you?" Greg asked.

"You said something about a promotion back in August." Denis added.

Casey nodded. "I'm the new prosecutor for NYPD's Special Victims Unit. I prosecute all the sex crimes in Manhattan."

Denis crossed his beefy arms. "Sex crimes like rape and prostitution?'

She shook her head. "Prostitution is Vice. I put away rapists, child molesters and some murderers." And then she added. "I bring closure to victims of sex crimes."

"Casey Jane!" Her mother barked. "You never told us that!"

Casey spun to look at her mother. "It's a great job. It's hard sometimes, but I've got good people I work with and every conviction means one less monster out on the street."

"People like your detective friend?" Her mother groaned, "What was her name?"

Casey sighed. "Olivia Benson and yes she helps me through some of the hard ones, so does her partner Elliot Stabler and Captain Cragen and the rest of SVU. No one can face these crimes alone, so we're all there for each other."

Her father gave her a nod. Casey's work was important and he knew that and it sounded like she had a good support system in place.

Casey smiled back at her dad because even now his support was everything to her.

 _But will he support me and Liv being together?_ In the military, homosexuality was a major no no. But, Casey was the only child who chose not to enter the service.

She'd wanted to be an attorney, and her father made it happen by snagging her a Montgomery GI bill. She'd earned the grades she needed at the University of Virginia to get into Harvard, where she put all of her efforts into becoming one hell of a trial lawyer. Two years ago, The City of New York made her an offer and she'd accepted it. Arthur Branch had plans for Casey Novak, and after Cabot was shot and killed, he'd pulled Casey from White Collar crimes while she was also working Felonies.

Sex crimes was a hard job and without Liv, Casey didn't think she'd have made it as long as she had.

"So where is Aunt Ruth?" She asked to change the subject.

Both her brothers shuddered. "Inside making some good food inedible."

Casey blanched at the thought of her Aunt Ruth's cooking.

"Jeez, I thought you guys were going to keep her out of the kitchen."

Denis laughed, "Fat chance of that. Ever since cousin Abby joined the Marines to be with that Lieutenant what's his name, the old bird thinks that each meal could be her last."

Casey snickered, "Borin. Nickolas Borin."

"Yeah," Greg chuckled, "That loss. He showed up here in his dress uniform over Christmas like that was going to impress us."

Casey frowned at her brother, "I didn't hear about that."

"You didn't miss much." Greg grumbled. "Both of us forgot more about serving than this newly minted Lieutenant would ever know. He thought he'd be king of the roost until Dad backed him off with a look."

Denis looked up at their father, "The old First Sergeant's still got it."

"And you'd better not forget it, boy." Tom grumbled in his deep base ladened voice.

Both of her brothers quickly snapped out a "Roger that" which caused Casey to giggle slightly.

"Okay and on that note," she said with mirth. "I'm going to get my bag out of the car and settle in."

Before she could leave the garage, her father intercepted her and led the way back to her rental, "Have you been able to find anything on Aimee?"

Casey shook her head, "I have a friend over at Missing Persons who's been keeping an eye out for me but there's nothing out there. Unless I can find out who adopted her, it's just a shot in the dark."

He nodded, "Twenty-eight years and still not a clue as to where she is." His voice was ragged and lost.

"Yeah," Casey said matching his tone. "But Dad, I won't quit until I find her, you know that right?"

"I do." He said, "It was a cruel thing that happened to you and your sister."

"Dad, she was frightened and confused. I've seen the type many times in this job. Try not to blame her."

She remoted the trunk open and her father took the large duffel effortlessly in one hand.

"She should have told me. It's not like I was hard to find." He said grumpily.

"No offense Daddy, but it was the seventies and Vietnam Vets weren't popular back then."

Tom Novak shuddered at the protests and the marches back then. More than a few times he'd been called a baby killer despite the fact that he'd never been a ground pounder.

"It was a bad time to be in the Army." He agreed.

"Yeah, so you shouldn't blame yourself or her." Casey put an arm around her father, "Besides, then I wouldn't have had Mom and all of her wonderful cooking and all of the great memories of growing up with her as my mom, and she is my mom. Never doubt that."

He nodded, "You always were the smart one Casey."

Her heart fluttered at her father's compliment. Tom Novak wasn't known to be an emotional man, but with her he'd let her see what was inside.

As they rounded the stairs to her bedroom, Casey paused,

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, baby."

"I think my friend Olivia can help." She said softly. "She's a really great detective and if anyone can find Aimee, I know it's her. I'd like to bring her in on the search."

He thought about it for a few minutes, "Would she understand?"

"Yeah," Casey said assuredly, "Believe me, Liv would understand better than anyone."

He nodded, "Let me think on it."

Casey continued to follow him to her room, the room she'd grown up in.

Supper around the Novak house was a cross between the Army Dining Facility and your mom's best home cooked dinner. Food was passed around in a quick and orderly manner before taking your seat and saying grace. After that it was dig in time. With two older brothers, Casey learned quick to load up on what she wanted because by the time she got seconds it could be gone. Though her father doted on her from time to time, he'd wanted her to grow up strong and independent. and holding her own at the dinner table with two older brothers had been a good lesson on that. Aunt Ruth's apple pie sat off to one side, completely ignored though the senile old lady barely knew it.

She raised a withered finger at Casey and croaked gently at her, "Casey, it's nice to see you eventually come home to see your family."

"Yeah, Aunt Ruth, it's just that my job has me so busy." She said as she fended off Denis from snatching her cornbread. "Since I'm a prosecutor for one of the biggest cities in the world, I rarely get time off."

"You're young and pretty, like my Abby, you should focus on finding yourself a nice man to settle down with."

 _At every turn._ "Well, thanks, Aunt Ruth but I'm pretty happy with what I got going on."

"Well, I'm just saying, my Abby found a very nice man in the Navy, maybe you should consider joining."

Casey paused with a piece of roast in her mouth as she glanced around the table, "I thought he was a Marine."

Ruth furrowed her white brows together, "Is he? Oh, you know I can't tell all of those uniforms apart. I thought a marine was a sailor."

Denis leaned in to her, "You know you could have one of your cop buddies stop by and really confuse her."

Casey smirked at her brother, Denis was always the mischievous one. "Buddy, you have no idea how easy that could be done."

He smiled back and mouthed, "We'll talk later."

She caught a cautionary glare from Greg and a subtle head shake, to which like in her youth, she simply smiled back innocently.

Greg grumbled under his breath as he forked in a large hunk of roast to keep himself occupied.

"So Casey," Her mother quipped, "All of this work in New York City, I hope you've found time to date. Anyone in particular we should know about?"

Casey shrugged, actively avoiding the subject. She turned to her more often than not accomplice, "Denis, what's the score with you and Becky? Did you pop the question yet?"

He groaned and through the side of his mouth mumbled, "Thanks Casey."

"Shut up and cover me." She whispered.

"Denis," their mother chimed in almost angelically, "You didn't mention that you were thinking of marrying Becky."

"Yeah well we've been together for almost four years." He shrugged, "But she's young so she's a little…"

"Wild." their father supplied.

"Yeah, wild." Denis said, "thanks dad."

"Well she adores you so I'm sure she'll settle down eventually."

"God I hope not," Denis mumbled under his breath.

And then her mother turned her head to Casey, "Now don't deny it Casey but you've been tight lipped about seeing someone. All you've said is that you'll talk about it later."

Swirling her roast into her gravy Casey nodded, "Yeah, and this really isn't later enough for me."

Greg snorted over his meal, "She's not going to let up on you until you spill it Casey."

Casey set her fork down and looked up at her mother, her heart pounding in her throat. "You remember my friend Olivia?"

"Oh, heavens yes," her mother smiled enthusiastically, "All you've done over the last six months is rave about how she's been such a good friend and how you work so well together."

"Yeah." Casey scratched the back of her head, "And it turns out that we work a lot better than most."

"Well I hope she's not keeping you from finding someone special." Her mother said, but Casey had caught all of the attention at the table. It wasn't like her to beat around the bush about anything.

Denis and Greg were staring at her and her father was watching her carefully.

Sighing Casey looked up at her mother, "Mom, Olivia is more than just my friend. I've been... seeing her for over six months."

Caroline dropped the butterknife she was wielding against a slice of bread with a loud clank against her plate. She looked up at her daughter. "Seeing her as in..." she twirled her finger in the air.

Casey closed her eyes briefly and leveled her gaze on her father, "As in romantically."

Greg frowned, "Wait, what?"

"Casey Jane!" her mother gasped.

"Oh man!" Denis smiled, "Each year just gets better and better!"

"I know it's not what any of you expected, believe me it was a shocker for me too." Casey closed her eyes and poured all of her feelings for Liv into her words and body. "She's just so understanding and she's beautiful, and sweet, considerate to me, we fight about work sometimes but we never close off to each other." She opened her eyes to see her family, "And Liv takes very good care of me."

All attention was on her now and to be honest Casey wasn't as comfortable as she would have been if she'd listened to Liv and waited for them to be here together.

Her father stood up from the table and without a word, carried his plate into the kitchen and walked out of the room. It was the silent treatment and Casey knew it. Her father wouldn't say a word to her until he either processed the information or, more likely, wanted more details. In all of her life, he'd used that technique on her twice before. Once when she was fourteen and dated the school bad boy, her father hadn't said a word to her for nearly a month, until the day she broke up with him. The other time was when she accepted the offer from the DA's office in New York. That had taken him three weeks before they spoke again. Denis on the other hand had that treatment for months on end. Greg had never had the silent treatment because he and their father were so much alike it was scary.

Aunt Ruth continued eating as if she'd missed the entire conversation. Casey on the other hand stood up, excused herself and left the table.

Her mother followed her to her bedroom, "Oh no you don't. Casey what were you thinking, blurting that out at the table?"

Casey turned around and stared at her mother, "Why do you think I came down here? I wanted to tell you about Liv because she means so much to me. I haven't been home for the holidays because aside from her partner, Liv doesn't have any family to spend time with."

"Casey!" her mother chided again, "This isn't you! It's that job of yours, dealing with all of those sexual deviants."

"No, Mom, try again." she barked, "I put those people away for a long time and Liv is the one who is there for me when I need her to be."

"We've always been there for you Casey." her mother protested, "Always."

"And I want to be there for her." she said smartly, "Liv is everything I've ever wanted in a significant other, she's tough but gentle, kind, caring, she believes in justice and not just closed cases and she always puts me ahead of anything else. And just so you know, she's the only woman I've ever been attracted to and she takes better care of me than any man I've ever gone out with. All I want is to be with her and give her the family that she's never had and that I've always taken comfort in."

"But Casey," Her mother protested again. "You're not gay."

Casey sighed heavily. "I am for her, Mom, and only for her." She retreated into her bedroom and shut the door.

Caroline stood frozen outside as Casey called her lover. From her place in the hallway she could hear Casey talking.

"Hi, honey... Yeah, I made it in on time... No, it's great to see them but I wish you could have come... Nothing unexpected, but I did tell them... at dinner... my mom was the only one who's asked about it but... no my dad didn't say anything, at all... No I didn't expect him to... it will take him a while, but eventually he'll come around enough to ask questions... Yeah... Oh baby I miss you too... I'm happy to spend time here with them, but I still want to curl up in your arms... Because I love you, Olivia and I don't care who knows it...yeah. Tell Elliot that he still owes me a beer for that favor I pulled... No I'm just tired... I know... I miss you so much... Okay call me tomorrow after the game, I'll be around. Okay... I love you. Good night."

It was the sweetness in Casey's voice that caught Caroline's attention. She'd never heard her daughter speak so tenderly. Rustled into action, Caroline knocked gently on Casey's door.

Casey answered a moment later.

"Casey." She said softly. "May I come in?"

"Honestly Mom, it's been a really long day. I just want to take a shower and go to bed."

Caroline gently pushed her way in. "And I want you to tell me about this woman you spoke so sweetly to." She walked in and sat down on her daughter's bed next to the duffle bag she'd brought. A picture frame was sticking out of the corner. "Is this her?" She looked up at her daughter who nodded. "May I?"

Casey waved a hand and shut the door.

Caroline took a breath and pulled out the frame to see her daughter cheek to cheek with an older brunette in a purple dress.

"She's beautiful." Her mother said. "She looks very fit."

"Liv works out four times a week with this kettlebell." Casey ran a hand through her hair. "I actually can't stand the thing because I trip over it at least once a week. Each time it feels like I broke my toe."

Caroline laughed. "I had the same problem with your father's helmet. I swear he'd leave that thing everywhere. Nothing like smashing your bare foot into this hunk of metal."

Casey chuckled. "Actually, that was Greg. He loved putting it on and pretending to be a general in his tighty whities and dad's helmet. He'd leave it all around the house."

They laughed lightly together before her mother looked back to the picture.

"Tell me about her."

Casey sat down on the bed. "Liv is so different from anyone I've ever met. She grew up in Manhattan and she grew up hard. She's been a cop for about ten years now, five of that was with Special Victims. She doesn't particularly care for baseball but she comes to all of my games and always makes me feel like I'm special. She's a good cop and a great detective."

Caroline held up the picture. "She's a little older than you isn't she?"

"That doesn't matter." Casey said. "Least of all to me."

Caroline nodded. "Okay, baby girl. I just wanted to hear it from you." Caroline set the picture down on the bedside dresser facing the bed.

As her mother stood up Casey caught her by the arms. "Mom. I've tried to deny it but I can't. I love her and I don't expect your approval but it would mean a lot to me if you could just give her a chance."

"Casey," She sighed, "It's your life. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Liv would never hurt me that way, mom."

"Maybe not but the world isn't full of tolerant people." Caroline sighed and ran a hand through her daughter's hair, "You should know that people aren't very tolerant of these kinds of things. How many hate crimes have you prosecuted in New York."

Casey bowed her head, "A lot."

"I'm not saying that she's bad for you, I'm just saying that I don't want you involved in that mess, or your friend."

Casey nodded as her mother left quietly. She thought about all of the sadistic people out there who wouldn't bat an eye at brutally torturing her or Olivia. But as she changed into her PJ's and climbed into bed, she remembered what Olivia said about being discreet. It didn't mean hiding it from your friends or family, just keeping it out of the public eye. She made a promise to herself and to Liv that she'd always be discreet...

So she'd never put her love in that kind of danger.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Brothers_**

No one said much at breakfast except of course Aunt Ruth who, despite being present, was completely oblivious to yesterday's conversation. The old lady just prattled on about some soap opera that she'd seen twenty years ago as if she'd seen it yesterday. Casey snorted at the title, _One Life to Live._

Neither of her brothers said much either and her father refused to even look at her. Honestly, that hurt Casey more than anything but she knew beforehand that this wasn't going to be easy. She quietly piled up the dishes and washed them for her mother along with the pots and pans her mother had used to make the delicious meal. Her mother patted her on the back with a smile and followed her husband into his study, where he had spent the majority of the evening yesterday.

She was starting to wonder if coming out was a mistake when Denis snapped her in the rear with a towel.

"Hey partner." He said with that stupid grin. "Pretty ballsy move last night. Now I know why you put me on the hook with mom and dad over Becky."

"Yeah," she said sadly, "I was hoping to put it off until after dinner."

He snickered at her, "I can see why, I mean Jesus, Casey, you're banging a chick, not exactly dinner conversation."

Casey screwed her face up at her brother, "Banging a chick, I'm banging a chick." She smacked him in the back of the head, "I've been dating a woman. Try and act like you have some manners. goof ball."

He raised his hands up defensively, "Okay, okay, you're dating a woman. I got it." He grinned. "So is this like a real thing or just trying it out?"

Casey rolled her eyes, "Jeez, do you think I'd give my parents a coronary if I was experimenting? And just so you know, my sex life isn't up for discussion."

He snickered at her lightly, "C'mon Case, you can at least tell me if she's hot."

Casey got a wide grin, "She's way hotter than all of your girlfriends and she doesn't dress like a hooker..." She looked straight into her brother's blue eyes, "Unless she's undercover. Then I'd pay whatever her rate is."

Denis started laughing, "Oh yeah? Seriously, how long you been seeing girls?"

Casey dried and put away the last pot in the cabinet and washed her hands. "We've been going out for a little over six months and she's the first girl I've ever dated."

He nodded and glanced around the room, "Statistically speaking, people are more inclined to accept lesbian relationships than they are two guys so you have that going for you at least, but Casey, why did you bring this up now?"

Casey dried her hands and Denis led her out towards the garage where they could talk privately.

"Because, I want her to come with me for Independence Day." She said once they got into the garage. "She doesn't have any family any more and I don't want her to be alone on the holidays."

He nodded as he pulled a pair of batting gloves off the shelf followed by her favorite bat. "You know you could have just said she was your friend and kept it quiet."

He opened the garage door and set up the practice pitcher they used as kids. Designed by one of their father's engineer friends, it was a metal pole that hung from the in-ground basketball net that none of them used. The ball was attached to an elastic cord from the end of the pipe which was about ten feet in the air with the ball just barely off the ground when it was dangling. All that was needed was for one person to pull the ball back and let it fly towards the batter. The string kept it from getting away and made for faster recovery. Over the years, all three of them had gotten pretty good at aiming the arc of the ball to imitate a lot of sneaky pitches.

Casey nodded as she slipped on her gloves and lightly swung her bat. "One thing this family has never done is lie to each other. I wasn't about to break with the tradition."

Denis pulled on the elastic cord and let the ball fling towards her. Casey cracked the ball on the top of her bat sending it up and Dennis had to rush to catch it. "Yeah but who would know?"

Casey sighed and lowered her bat, "I would and that's enough. Besides, I don't want to sneak around with Liv like I was doing something wrong."

He pulled the cord back again and waited for her to take her stance. "Okay, I get that. So is she into baseball?"

Casey shrugged and took another batting stance. "Somewhat, but she always makes time to come see my games."

"Considering how you play that's devotion." He teased as he let another one go.

Casey's eyes narrowed at the ball and she swung with all she had. The ball hit the bat dead center and went sailing towards Denis's head. He caught the ball just as it reached the outer limit the tether would let it go and he grinned, "Nice." He let go, sending the ball flying back at her. Casey again nailed it straight to him.

"Damn," he said as he caught it again, "You're getting a lot better at this." He twisted his wrist and let it go again. The ball spun towards her and again she effortlessly nailed it, but this time it went towards the cars before reaching it's apex and springing back towards the pole.

Denis nodded his approval, "That one gave you problems for years, nice work Casey." His face fell as he looked passed her.

Greg was standing in the garage glaring at him.

Casey turned to see what had her brother looking so put off.

"I thought we were practicing today." He said harshly.

"Casey always practices with us when she's in town." Denis said.

"That was before she embarrassed our family with this gay nonsense."

"Hey!" Denis shouted, "She's still family, you prick, and family sticks together no matter what."

 _ **Tensions**_

Standing silently in his study, Tom Novak looked out through the huge picture windows at his boat, gently bobbing against the dock on the waves of the Potomac. Though he was a soldier through and through, he loved running it's twin engines on the river like a fast attack boat.

But Hurricane Isabel had taken it's toll on his old Chris Craft like it had on much of Virginia, and there wasn't much more he could do about it. _The Family Venture_ was destined to be dry docked or scrapped. The new Bayliner 35 foot Cabin Cuddy he'd looked at was starting to look like the _Venture's_ replacement, but he still wanted deck space for his family. He was mentally comparing specs in his head to distract himself from his daughter's announcement that she was seeing another woman when shouts emerged from the front yard.

"Greg, STOP!" Casey shouted.

With his study situated directly over the garage he took six steps to the opposite wall and looked down to see his sons brawling in the grass, Casey trying desperately to break them up. He was already turning to runout when his wife shouted, "TOM! Come Quick! The boys are fighting!"

He went down the steps three at a time, his combat boots landing each time with a heavy clunk as he ran out through the garage door and out into the front lawn.

Effortlessly, he grabbed Greg by the collar and jerked him right off his feet and onto the ground. He landed in a heap as Denis rolled to his feet, before he realized his dad was there he started for Greg and was thrown to the ground again. Both sons realized then that their father was standing over them.

"What in the Sam Hill do you think you're doing!?" He barked.

Both sons started pointing fingers and yacking at the same time.

"goddamn it, stand up like soldiers!"

Both Novaks got to their feet and stood at attention.

"Now what the hell is this dust up over?" He glared at them, "Casey?"

"Greg and Denis were fighting over me." She said quickly.

He glared at her, "How so?"

Casey sighed, "Denis and I were practicing with the tether and Greg came out with an attitude. Said that I couldn't practice with them because I'm an embarrassment to the family. Denis called Greg a prick and that family is family no matter what. Then they started trading insults until Denis pushed Greg, then Greg hit him." _God, could we sound anymore like were twelve?_

Her father glared at both of them, "Is that how you remember it Greg?"

He nodded.

"Denis?"

Again a head nod.

"Then both of you take yourselves in the house, clean up and stay where I can find you later." He glared at the brothers, "And if either one of you starts up this fight again, I'll thrash the stripes off of both of ya. You get me!?"

"We get you, Sergeant!" They replied in unison.

"Then _move out!_ " he commanded.

Both of his sons turned and headed inside.

"Casey, on my six and stay there!" He ordered as he followed the boys inside.

Denis went into the guest bathroom on the first floor while Greg climbed the stairs and went into the bathroom that separated the boys from the girls. Casey stayed behind her father as he led the way into his study. Her father's inner sanctum. The study was both his hobby room and at home office for his job as the top NCO of his Company. The two solid walls of his study held memorabilia from two wars and a lifetime of service as well as trinkets and trophies taken throughout his career. Chief among them was a North Vietnamese battle helmet with a very clean chinese bayonet stuck in the strap. It represented the one life her father had taken close range after his last Huey crash. When she'd asked why he'd kept it, he told her that he never wanted to forget what a war really costs, not just in death, but what it costs the survivors as well.

She'd learned what he meant one night when she was fourteen, she'd snuck out of her room and watched as her father prayed for the peace of that unnamed soldier he'd killed. It was the only time she'd ever seen her father shed a tear. She'd respected him and his study a whole lot more from that day forward and every time she was there she felt the ghosts of his past watching her as she looked at each object that was there, including a signed picture from General Moore. Though over the years more of his personal life had started to grace the walls and shelves. What currently caught Casey's eye was the picture from her graduation at Harvard University standing prominently in the center of the wall. Next to her graduation cap and tassel were a spare set of keys to the _Venture_. The memory brought a smile to her face as she remembered how they got there.

When Arthur Branch offered her the Job in New York City, her father had countered by asking her to join the JAG corps in Washington and offered the use of his boat to ride to work everyday the weather was decent. To say she had been tempted to drive her father's beautiful boat to the Navy Yard every day was a gross understatement. But in the end, she wanted to get out on her own, and without New York, she wouldn't have Liv.

Her father pulled a chair out in front of his desk, "Sit down, Casey." He said in a voice that commanded respect.

Casey turned away from the picture and sat down. Tom walked around his desk and again stared out of the window at the river, "Of all of the people in this house, I never would have thought you would be the one to divide it."

"Daddy,"

He cut her off with a subtle hand at his side. "Casey, it's not what you've done. It's how you did it."

He turned to look at her, "Despite being your brothers, Greg and Denis are two very different people. They hardly ever agree on anything since they both asked out Sarah Miller in high school. Although, you're smart enough to know that Denis wouldn't hold your choices against you. Greg on the other hand...you know that he's rigid and unyielding. He lives his life through the Army. You had to know he'd have an issue with this."

"Daddy, its my life." Casey protested. "I am not a service member, nor am I subject to the Uniformed Code of Military Justice. So I can't be charged for homosexuality."

"Thank God for that or I'd turn you in myself." He barked. "And before you think that means I'm choosing sides, know that if I didn't, I could be charged under the UCMJ."

Casey turned away from him while still sitting. "Daddy."

"No, Casey." He shouted. "This is not acceptable behavior on any level!"

She turned to glare at the most important person in her life. "I won't apologise for this! Olivia is the kindest, sweetest person I've ever known and no matter what anyone says, I love her and I want to be with her!"

Her father rose up onto his feet. "Forget about Olivia. This is about your family. In twenty four hours you've split this family down the middle. Both of your brothers were brawling like teenagers in the goddamn lawn. Your mother is torn between wanting to accept this person and what she thinks is right and wrong. What you should have done, instead of announcing your involvement over dinner, was come talk to me and your mother first. At least we could have had time to process how we feel before your brothers got involved."

Casey nodded. "I wanted to, but Daddy. Mom just kept prying."

"A lawful attorney from the best law school in the country, who works for the biggest District Attorney's office on the East Coast, and you couldn't fend off your mother long enough to get through dinner?" He snorted at her, "Why don't I believe that?"

Casey stood up and put her hands on his desk. "Because I felt guilty. I've been with Olivia for six months, six months I've told mom that I was too busy to find someone when the truth was, I did find someone. She's smart, intuitive, successful, and she, like you, has a hard job. One that is dangerous and could snatch her away from me in an instant. But, when she's not out there making New York safer for the people, she's at home, with me, making sure I feel unspeakably precious." Casey stood up and pointed at the old Vietnamese helmet. "And just like you, I have to share her with a ghost. It's not easy, sometimes I cry. Sometimes what we have scares the shit out of me. And sometimes I think that we could never work out as a couple. But, when I feel like I can't go on, that's when she holds me up, tells me that she's there, that she won't let me fall. And that's when I love her all that much more. You guys were down here dealing with the aftermath of Isabel and I didn't want to add coming out to that."

Tom sat and watched as his baby girl argued for her love. In truth it warmed him to see her fight for what she wanted. She was bound and determined to make him see what she did. But, since his first flight into combat, Tom Novak had always been a cautious man, and with his daughter's heart he was doubly vigilant.

"Is this why you want her to help find Aimee?" He asked carefully.

Casey blinked at the change of subject. "No." She replied. "I want her help because she would be our best chance at finding her. She's a great detective, Daddy. Even if I wasn't involved with her, I'd still want her help. I just know it in my heart that Liv can find Aimee. I just know it."

He nodded. "Send Denis in here." He waved his hand to the door.

Casey stared at him. "That's it? Nothing about what I said? You're not even going to send me away without a reasonable idea about how you feel about my relationship?"

He looked up at her. "Casey, send Denis in here, please."

His tone was one she knew well. Her father wasn't about to reveal his thoughts to her, she'd have to wait until he was good and ready. Casey then realized how spoiled she'd become at the DA's office. Branch wasn't as hard to read as he thought he was and Donnelly wore her emotions on her sleeve. Casey sighed, knowing she may never get a solid answer out of the one person who mattered most.

Casey went back downstairs to find her mother standing in the kitchen. She was occupying herself with organizing her spice rack while Aunt Ruth effortlessly destroyed what was supposed to be a cheesecake.

She shuddered as she dashed out onto the back deck to get a breath of fresh air. Before she thought the better of it she jogged along the walkway and onto the dock. She stopped at the edge and stared off into the river, wishing more than anything that she had Liv's strong arms to hold her tightly. To hear Liv whisper that it would be alright. A few moments later the clack of low heeled shoes echoed up from behind her.

"Sweetie?" Her mother said softly, "Casey? Are you alright?"

She didn't bother to look back as she cupped her hand over her mouth.

Caroline came up from behind her and pulled her child into her arms. "Oh baby, it can't be that bad."

"It is, mom." She said. "I just, all I wanted to do was tell you that I'm happy, that I found someone who makes me happy. I wanted you to be happy for me and I wanted to bring her here on the fourth. I knew it wouldn't be what you expected but I didn't think it would tear our family apart."

"Oh Casey." Her mother crooned. "It was a shock, that's all. Nothing can tear us apart, nothing on God's green earth. They can take our lives but they can't stop us from being a family."

"Greg called me a dyke." She sobbed.

"And your father will take him to task for it." She cooed. "Casey, I love you. So does your father and both of your brothers. It's just... it was... we just weren't, didn't know how to take something like that. None of us could have seen this coming and if you say you're in love then I'm happy for you. It'll be something we'll have to come to terms with, but eventually we'll get over the fact that you have a... Oh dear."

Casey looked up at her mother.

"C'mon, help me out here." She begged. "What do I call her, what is she to you?"

Casey smiled; her mother was trying. "My girlfriend."

Caroline frowned. "Does that make you a... b-boyfriend?"

A small smile escaped. "No, mom. I'm her girlfriend, she's my girlfriend."

"Oh." She nodded then got confused again. "Well what do you call those girls you used to go out with. Like that lawyer from the police family."

Casey laughed, "those are my friends mom. I used to call them my girlfriends but since I started seeing Liv, I just call them friends but some people I know call them gal pals."

"Ah." Her mother patted her head. "Apparently, I have a lot to learn about your new lifestyle."

Casey chuckled again, "It's not a lifestyle. I'm still me, I just sleep with someone who has the same parts I do. That's all, sometimes the terminology is a little different, but I'm still who you made me."

Caroline smiled. "My smart mouthed daughter who loves my broccoli casserole?"

Casey shuddered. "Hey I never liked broccoli. Nice try though."

Caroline laughed. "C'mon. Let's go back inside before your Aunt Ruth burns down my kitchen."

 _ **Speakerphone**_

Greg came down from the study last, despite having a chip on his shoulder he still acted politely. Denis had gone to pick up his dog from the vet and Casey was with her mother in the kitchen when her phone rang.

The sound of the cell phone startled poor Aunt Ruth to the point where the old buzzard had to sit down. Casey grinned as she checked the ID, "Hi, how'd you do at the games?"

She laughed at something she heard and Caroline took notice at her daughter's grin. "Yeah well tell St. Louis that if they weren't drinking so much they might shoot straighter."

She immediately set down the mix she was currently working on and came to her daughter's side.

"Well things haven't gone as well as I'd hoped, but I think we're making progress."

"Ooh is that her?" Caroline asked.

Casey nodded, "Yeah that's my mom, Caroline. She's been hoping you'd call all day... Hold on, I'm going to put you on speaker phone, okay?"

 _"...no Casey. They don't know me."_ Came a velvety low voice.

"Well, Olivia I certainly hope to meet you soon." Caroline said to the phone.

 _"Um, hi."_ There was a brief pause, _"Yeah, this isn't awkward at all."_

"Oh no honey, awkward was last night when Casey told us that you'd been seeing each other." Caroline joked, "We've already passed 'who do you think you are' and are on to embarrassing Olivia by phone."

 _"Well done. I'm thoroughly embarrassed. Hey Elliot, you and Colin go on ahead, bring me back the usual... no I'm on the phone with Casey and her mom."_

"Elliot is your partner, right?" Caroline asked.

 _"Thats right, Detective Stabler."_

"I take it he knows about you and Casey?"

 _"Yeah, he's been my partner for about five years. It's kind of hard to keep secrets like that from someone who knows you that well."_

Casey sighed in relief that Liv had forgone sharing that Elliot had walked in on them at Liv's house. "Elliot and his wife Kathy have been very supportive of us."

"Well that's good," Caroline said quickly. "So how did you to meet, start dating, fall in love?"

 _"Well that's a long story. Casey is my ADA and we met on the job. we had a hard case a few months later and Casey was having a hard time dealing with the outcome. I kept her company and came out to her, eventually we just started seeing each other. Honestly, Casey is the best part of my day and my life."_

Casey heard heavy footfalls behind her and turned to see her father.

 _"There is nothing I can say about her that you don't already know, but I feel blessed just having her around."_

He frowned at the velvet voice and leaned into the group, "Is this Olivia?"

 _"Yes, sir?"_ Came the reply from the phone.

"Tom Novak, I just want to say that if you hurt my baby, you and I are going to have a real problem. Is there an understanding between us?"

The response wasn't what he'd expected, but it pleased him nonetheless, _"Yes sir. But, if you make her cry over me, I assure you that we'll still have that problem."_

"Well said, Detective." Tom turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Casey and her mother staring at each other in surprise.

 _ **Homecoming Secret**_

 **Apartment of Olivia Benson,**

Later on Monday night, Liv stumbled through her apartment door and dropped her bags in the kitchen. This was absolutely the last time she was riding in a rental car, from this point forward, she was either flying to Springfield or she just wasn't going. She reached for her light switch but found a bouquet of flowers between her hand and the switch. Followed by several tea light candles that strategically lit the room with a romantic ambiance. She frowned slightly and then realized who had to be in her home.

Her mood improved exponentially as she walked acrossed her living room to her bedroom but as she opened the door she found it empty of her redheaded lover. A slight splash in the bathroom caused her to smile even wider as she poked her head in.

Casey was dropping some kind of salt into her bathtub while wearing a very sexy robe from Victoria's Secret. Her shapely rear end barely visible at the bottom due to the low lighting of the candles.

"Now all I need is the guest of honor." She said softly.

Liv opened the door and slowly pulled the ADA to her, "The guest has arrived."

Casey spun around slightly startled, but it was quickly replaced by excitement. "Oh, you're home." The ADA wrapped her arms around her detective and kissed her, pouring all of the intensity of her emotions the past few days into it. She wanted Liv to know how much she'd missed her. Liv felt the intensity of Casey's mouth and replied with her own fire. Within a minute, Casey had Liv's clothes off and tossed her own robe to climb into the tub, straddling the older woman. Casey bathed her lover as Liv made love to her and the water was cold by the time they made it into bed.

Liv came awake around four in the morning. Sighing in satisfaction she rolled over to put her arm over her girlfriend when her fingers grazed the edge of the bed. She lifted her head slightly to see that the other side of her bed was empty. Sighing she raised up on her elbows and looked out into her living room. For just a moment, she thought she saw Alex sitting on her couch in one of her button down shirts, with a laptop in front of her. The screen reflecting off of her glasses. Immediately she jerked to a seated position and rubbed her eyes.

 _It couldn't be, it's not possible!_

Liv looked again, but instead of seeing Alex, Casey was there on the couch, but she was dressed in a button down, and she was wearing glasses. It stunned her to see it and she couldn't help but go to her.

"Casey?" She said softly as she padded into the living room.

Casey looked up and pulled her glasses off, "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I usually wear these when I work on a computer for longer than a few minutes."

"Yeah its just, you... never mind. It's silly."

Casey leaned back, her beautiful legs revealed beneath the hem of the shirt, "I reminded you of her."

Liv sighed, "I know better, Casey, I do."

"I know." Casey said, "And although I'm both flattered and slightly offended, I forgive you."

Liv sighed as she pulled the throw blanket around herself. "What is it that's got you working so hard instead of sleeping in bed with me?"

Casey set the glasses down and picked up a file. "A missing persons, and so you know it's a really cold one."

Liv sat down next to her, "How cold?"

Casey sighed, "Twenty-eight years. I could really use your help. I'm a good lawyer but as it turns out, not so good at being a detective."

Liv sighed, "Twenty-eight years is a long time for a cold case, honey. How did you get it?"

"Just look at it and I'll answer every question I can." Casey said again holding up the folder.

Liv sighed and took it, As she opened it she started reading off the contents, "Two birth certificates from Virginia, Consent for Adoption and two adoption claims, with backgrou..." She paused at the name, "Casey, you were adopted?" She looked up at her love.

"For about three weeks." she said, "My dad had a one night stand with a woman, Lindsay Russell. I was born nine months to the day. She never told him about me... or my sister."

Liv stared in utter disbelief.

"Virginia law at the time didn't require a father's consent for adoption, just the father's identity. I was adopted by a good family, the Cobbletons. They had a hard time getting pregnant and sought adoption as a way of fulfilling their dream of having only one child. Three weeks after I was adopted, the wife found out she was pregnant and they gave me back. When they couldn't find Lindsay, they contacted my father to see if he knew where she was. They told him about my circumstances and he immediately came to get us. The Agency tried to contact the other family, but they were missing and so was Aimee. The information I have on them was falsified and there were no leads. My father and the CID tore Virginia apart looking for my sister but they never found her."

"Oh, Casey." Liv set the file down and pulled the redhead in close.

"My father told me about her when I was sixteen." She put her hand on the file. "This was everything he was able to find about her, Since I graduated law school, I've repeatedly misused my position to continue the search for Aimee, but after all this time. I don't have anywhere else to look. She could be anywhere."

Liv kissed Casey's temple as sadness overwhelmed the ADA. "Oh baby, whatever I can do, I will."

"Do you have any idea how much it hurts, knowing that you have an identical twin sister out there and you can't find her?"

"No honey, I couldn't know that." Liv whispered, "Have you ran your DNA through CODIS?"

"Yeah, no matches." She sniffed. "My father and I have been looking for her all of my life Liv. I just don't know where to look anymore."

Liv nodded, "Have you and your father put in here where it is you have looked?"

Casey nodded.

"Then that gives me a place to start." She whispered, "If she's still out there, we'll find her Casey."

Liv kept a hand on her love while she flipped through the file. It was easy to see where Tom Novak left off and Casey began. His notes were masculine and rugged. Hers were clean, systematic, and feminine. She didn't know how she was going to pull this off, but more than anything, she wanted to bring Casey and her family closure. After all, it's what she did every working day of her life.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: To the guest who inquired, Thank you for the suggestion of adding character names to Disclosure. It is something that I'll take care of but I started the story a little prematurely, hoping i could run them continuously. Unfortunately, My Muse had other plans. Currently i have three open stories i am working simultaneously, This one, one that centers around Abbie Carmichael, and one that centers around Alex Cabot. I intend to post Abbie's story next as well as go back to Disclosure because all three need to be finished before i can work on the Jane and Kate in Boston story because certain elements from all three are needed.

* * *

 **Suspicion**

Detective John Munch had a suspicious nature that had served him well over the years. Recently he had some suspicions about the new ADA and the lovely detective Benson. Ordinarily he didn't bother trying to figure out his partners unless something seemed to bother them or in the case of Novak, make them exceptionally happy. Keeping Olivia in the corner of his eye revealed that she had some internal peace that she had been lacking since Alex Cabot had been shot and killed.

He figured out that Liv and Alex had been involved for a while, but watching your loved one die right in front of you couldn't have been easy. It had taken Liv months to put the pieces together again. He knew she was out dating again but only recently had he thought his friend might have found love and he suspected that it was in the arms of their pretty, young ADA.

He heard heavy footsteps climbing up the stairs and a moment later he was joined by his partner, detective Odafin Tutuola, a career cop from Brooklyn. He came to them from narcotics a few years ago.

"Whachu doin' hidin' up here, old man?" he said in his Brooklyn accent.

Munch didn't say anything as he continued to lean against the rail, hands cupped together while watching the floor.

Fin stopped next to him and looked down where Elliot and Olivia were "debating" about the case they were working.

Fin looked back at his partner, "It ain't nice to spy on your partners. If you want to ask her out, I'd wish you'd just get it over with."

Munch chuckled, "Pretty sure I'm not her type."

"Seriously, whatchu doin' hangin' out up here?"

"Testing a theory." Much said calmly, "I suspect there is a conspiracy right here in our own house."

"Awe man, will you please cut out with that black helicopter crap." Fin grumbled loudly, "With all of your damn conspiracy crap it's a wonder you ever get anything done."

"One day, you'll understand, my young apprentice." He said and straightened suddenly, "Here we go. Watch and learn."

Fin glared at him before looking back out over the floor in time to see Novak walk in and head straight for Cragen's office, but her head turned immediately to Benson's desk. More than that, Liv caught sight of the redhead and the argument between the partners stopped as if they hit a red light.

Novak flashed a smile to Benson before heading into the office. Stabler glanced around, but dropped the argument as he turned back to his desk. Liv's eyes lingered a few seconds longer before she sat down at her desk. They started talking again, but it was clear that the argument was over.

"Isn't that interesting?" Munch said. "When was the last time you remember them giving up on a perfectly good fight without Cragen stepping in?"

Fin stared in disbelief, "Never." He looked at Munch, "You know somethin', don't chu?"

"All I have are suspicions," he uttered and nodded, "Here she comes again."

Novak walked out of Cragen's office and beelined it straight to Benson and Stabler, one of those blue court forms in her hand. Even from this distance they could see the slight smile on Liv's face as well as Casey's. The redheaded lawyer handed the paper to Elliot and the conversed for a few minutes before Novak left. But just as she got to the edge of the squad room she ducked into the crib.

Less than a minute later Liv said something to Elliot, got up, and headed towards the break room, but walked through the outside hallway to the crib.

"So I wonder what that's about." The old Jewish man said with a glimmer in his eye.

Fin glared back at his partner, "A whole lotta none of our business." He turned to leave when Novak and Liv came out together. A quick smile and they split up, Novak towards the elevator, Benson back to her desk.

"It takes three people to make a conspiracy and I give you Elliot, Olivia, and Casey." He said with a smile.

Fin stared down at them, "So what's yo theory?"

"That our straightlaced ADA and the vivacious detective Benson are in a very secret relationship."

Fin snorted, "I might be able to see Liv being okay with datin' a chick but c'mon. Novak? And what's Stabler got to do with it?"

"He's running cover for them." Munch said softly. "He's always got Liv's back."

"You got any evidence or is this another fabrication of that paranoid mind of yours?"

"Just some interesting coincidences going back about three months." Munch said as he stepped away from the rail.

"Like what?" Fin asked as he watched Elliot and Olivia grabbing their coats and heading out the door.

Munch sat down on the couch and stretched his arms along the back, "So after our ritual Halloween pervert door-to-door, Liv and Elliot pass off their last violator to patrol for booking instead of bringing them in like we usually do."

"I remember that, we ended up doin' the paperwork on them." Fin grumbled.

"Supposedly, so Elliot could meet up with his family for trick or treat." Munch agreed. "Funny thing is that last year, Liv clocked out at the same time."

Fin hugged his arms around himself in gangsta fashion, "She usually runs the pervs into the tombs."

"Like she's done every year before." Munch agreed. "Then there was the Christmas party. Alex used to come in socialize for a while and then it was back to some social event or another."

"That's because Alex was one a them high society girls." Fin replied. "So what's unusual about that?"

"Nothing." Munch said confidently. "But this year, Novak never left. Not even to go to the DA's party."

"So? She's more comfortable here." Fin shrugged, "Don't mean nothin'."

"Except that you probably didn't notice that when Novak did leave, Liv just disappeared."

"Coincidence." Fin dismissed, "Just 'cause you didn't see them leave together doesn't mean they did."

"OKay, that's not enough to convince you, how about this. Olivia usually runs the floor here for Christmas Eve until Christmas day."

"And as I recall she did." Fin said with a grimace.

"Yep, she did." Munch smiled, "But, did you know that she wasn't alone?"

Fin glared, "Let me guess... Novak."

"Officer Mancuso swears on a stack of bibles that when he came through here on his security check around eleven thirty on Christmas Eve, Detective Benson was in the company of a pale skinned woman with dark red hair. With one of those red and white Christmas hats on her head and a grin from ear to ear as she opened what he described as a Christmas gift." He eyed Fin carefully, "He described the woman as young, pouty lipped, and very cute."

"Okay, that does sound like Novak." Fin agreed. "But, she ain't got no family here either. She's from Virginia."

"Just to be sure I checked with one of my sources in the DA's office. Novak put in for the Christmas weekend off back in August when she was moved to the Special Victims Bureau. She canceled that request two weeks before Christmas and volunteered to be on call. Since they had it covered, all they did was list her as on call for SVU."

"You're saying Casey chose to stay instead of going home." Fin thought about it and shook his head. "So what's you point? Ain't your co-workers entitled to be involved?"

"My point is that Liv took Alex's death really hard."

"We all did." Fin said.

"But, let's face it, it was like we lost a part of Liv back then too. And whatever is really going on between Liv and Casey, it's brought out a part of our friend that I haven't seen in a while." Munch said, "Now NYPD regs on dating ADA's puts Liv and Casey at a credibility issue of Collusion."

"Which means Liv would get ripped and Casey reassigned." Fin nodded.

"I think we should do whatever we can to make sure that doesn't happen."

 ** _Investigation_**

 **The Manhattan District Attorney's Office**

The summons had come straight to her office and Casey felt her heart racing as she walked up to the Office of Arthur Branch. Erin's words of warning repeated themselves in her mind and Casey held her breath as the secretary lead her in.

DA Branch was sitting behind his massive desk writing on one of a hundred pieces of paper on his desk, "This won't take long." he said without looking up.

Between her relationship with her detective and her personal search for her sister, Casey had to focus not to look nervous.

"There have been a handful of unsanctioned activities going on in this office." He said as he closed the file in front of him and looked up at her. "There's an ADA in our building who is using our resources for personal gains. Do you know anything about that?"

She did whatever she could to fortify herself before answering, "No. Do you have a suspect?"

He nodded, "I do, several in fact. I have the DA Investigators looking into the matter. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary?"

She looked at him and tried to cool her relief, _He doesn't suspect me._ "Not that I can recall but I'll keep a better eye out."

He nodded, "I had a talk with a friend of yours yesterday. ADA Boyle mentioned that you seemed very happy to be in the Special Victims Bureau."

She nodded to him. "Erin and I have been friends almost since the day I came to New York."

"I heard that." he said, "I just thought you should know that Captain Cragen has complimented both your work and how you've settled in with the detectives."

She smiled, "Thank you."

He put his glasses back on and put his nose into another case, "You're the right person for the job, Casey. Just keep doing what you're doing."

She nodded, "Yes sir."

After returning to her office, Casey plopped down in her chair and took a deep breath as her nerves finally began to settle. She'd thought for sure Branch knew about her clandestine search for her lost sibling and maybe he did. But he hadn't busted her for it and she was relieved to know that Liv had her cold case. There wasn't much Casey could do right now anyway. She had two arraignments and a trial to run today. So much for lunch at the batting cages. Casey picked up her phone and texted her girlfriend.

 **Just wanted to tell you that i'm making southern fried pork chops tonight, if you're not working.**

She gathered her things for court and as she was ready to walk out, her phone vibrated.

 **Yummy. ;)**

Casey smiled because she had the best woman in the world to love.

 _Now if only I can get her to say it back._

But Elliott had been clear that Liv's past experience wouldn't let her for fear of losing her. It was something Casey wished she could fix.

 _ **A Big Favor**_

 **Jacob Javitz Federal Building**

 **Federal bureau of investigation - New York Field Office**

Olivia strode along the hallway looking for a favor and the only one she could think who might be able to do it was Dr. George Huang, a behavioral psychologist frequently loaned out to the SVU. His new office was closer to the entry which was supposed to make it easier to find, but Liv suspected that was just to keep Huang's guests from picking up classified information.

She found the office with little effort and knocked on it gently, knowing that he could be anywhere in the city.

Fortunately, she heard him answer, "Come in."

She turned the handle and stepped inside.

He looked up and smiled, "Olivia. What a surprise. Usually you call before you come by."

"Yeah I know." She said softly, "But I need a favor."

He held a hand up to the psychiatrists couch. "Have a seat, get it off your shirt."

She laughed. "It's not that kind of favor."

He closed the file in front of him and cupped his hands over each other as he peered at her, "You're nervous about something."

"Yeah," she said.

"It's not your work and I doubt it's Ms. Novak, so it must be me." He said and frowned, "I'm not going to like this am I?"

She frowned, "Casey? What do you mean?"

He looked at her as if she should know, "Olivia, I am a psychiatrist and a gay man. Don't think I didn't figure it out."

She closed her eyes, "I hate that you can do that."

He smiled warmly at her, "And I envy how you pegged me at a glance so were even."

He leaned back in his chair, "So what can I do for you?"

She sighed, "Do you have access to that new facial recognition software I heard about?"

He tipped his head slightly, "Yes? But, that's not the favor right?"

Liv pulled a picture of Casey out of her pocket, "I really need you to pull the top ten closest matches to this."

Huang took the photo and looked up at her, "I don't need to, this is Casey."

"Yeah I know, thats why I need the top ten closest." she said.

"You think it's not Casey?" He asked.

"George I know the picture is Casey, I took the damn thing but…" She sighed realizing that there was no way out of this without telling him something, "I need you to not ask, I know what this sounds like, but I need you to trust me."

He frowned, "Olivia?"

"Look it's a really long story and aside from needing resources that I don't have, it's all legal. I made a promise, George and this will help me keep it."

"The FBI facial recognition software is a highly restricted program located in the headquarters building in Washington DC. All we have is a terminal to access that program. Nothing and no one goes into that system without being identified by Headquarters."

"I figured as much, but they have to run tests on it. Known people that they scan for to make sure it's working right."

He sighed. "Olivia this is a huge favor; one that I don't know if I can pull off."

Liv deflated, "This was the easiest route I have open to me, Facial Recog could save me months if not years of searching."

He sighed, "What are the parameters?"

Liv shook her head, "The same as Casey."

"But not Casey." He said.

She nodded.

He jotted down some notes on the back of the picture. "I don't know if I can do this but I'll try. Just don't expect me to call you tomorrow on this."

She nodded, "I appreciate it, George. Really."

 ** _Need_**

 **Thursday June 30th**

After she finished packing her bag for the trip south, Olivia took her sidearm out of the drawer and once again thought about taking it down to the armory for the weekend. Casey had said she could bring it but...

She was going to meet Casey's family, as Casey's girlfriend. Showing up armed still didn't seem right, but ordinarily Liv kept it close no matter what. She was a cop and her gun was as much a part of that as her badge. She held the weapon up sideways and again, debated it in her head.

She heard footsteps out in the hallway and a second later, a key being shoved in the lock right before the knob turned.

Casey walked in with her baseball duffel and smiled, "Hey honey."

Liv set the weapon on the counter and pulled her lover close for a kiss. Casey's response was needy and immediate as she wrapped one arm around the robust woman and her other hand cupped Liv's face tenderly.

Casey felt her lover's tongue beg for entrance into her mouth and she granted it. No one had ever kissed her like Olivia did. Her girlfriend always seemed to know exactly what she wanted, what she needed and when. Casey melted into Liv's embrace, her body completely releasing control to the detective.

Liv's strong arms cradled the beautiful redhead to her, still amazed at how Casey could breach her defenses with a look, a touch, or a kiss. All she wanted to do was carry her to the bedroom and make love to her all night.

As much as she didn't want to, the need to breathe forced Casey to break from kissing her love. She took another breath to go back for more but her phone rang in her pocket.

Liv groaned needily as she held the slender Attorney. "Don't answer it." She whispered huskily.

The phone rang again and Casey groaned, "I have to."

She pulled the phone out and sighed in relief at the number before she answered it with Liv nibbling at her neck.

"Hey Denis." She said with a giggle.

Liv smiled as she flicked the redhead's ear with her tongue before sucking the lobe into her mouth.

Casey sucked in a breath at Liv's playfulness. "No, I just finished packing."

Liv's hands slid down to cup Casey's rear through her jeans.

"Yeah," Casey whispered as she turned around in Liv's arms and pressed her rear against her detective's waist. She nearly moaned as those delicate fingers slid under her shirt and grazed her belly.

"No, I, um... yeah I'm at Liv's." She said, trying to maintain some composure as her girlfriend stroked her hip. "Um yeah... She reserved the rental and I got the tickets. I think you'll like her."

Liv smiled as she gently pried the button on Casey's jeans loose.

Casey jumped at the snap, "No I can't wait, but I need to let you go."

 _Zip._

"No. I'll call you tomorrow, bye." She ended the call and dropped the phone before spinning around and virtually ripping the shirt from her lover.

No one got her as hot as Olivia.

Two hours later, Casey lay with her head sharing Liv's pillow and her arm draped over Liv's breasts. She lay partly on her side but partly on her lover too. As she drifted off to sleep she couldn't wait to show her family how happy Olivia made her.


	9. Chapter 9

_**The Novaks**_

 **Colonial Beach, Va.**

For the second time this summer Tom Novak found himself standing on his front porch waiting on his daughter's arrival. It wasn't unusual for Casey to bring a boyfriend, In fact, as far as he could tell she'd done so a little less than half of her adult life. But this time was very different from all of the others. Because his baby girl was bringing home another woman. She'd brought home a few girls before; girls she'd went to college with. Once she brought an ADA from New York City before the attorney had gotten married, but this woman was actually romantically involved with his little girl.

His teeth ground together at the thought. It was still a concept he couldn't wrap his head around; his precious Casey, with a woman.

As per usual, his wife walked out onto the porch and slipped her arm around him, "They're at the end of the street."

He nodded and looked to the end of the long driveway. A rumble of a big engine echoed through the trees right before a brand new red Mustang convertible pulled leisurely along the asphalt driveway. His daughter stood up from the passenger seat and waved as a brunette wearing shades shook her head. They said something to each other and Casey sat down as Liv pulled up next to Greg's white Avalanche. One more light rev before the car was shut off. Casey started gathering things in the car as the tall robust woman climbed out wearing jeans and a sleeveless feminine shirt. She popped the trunk before walking around the car to open the door for his daughter.

Tom scrutinized the move and despite his best effort, he couldn't see anything rehearsed or anything that looked like an act. When she held her hand up, Casey took it without hesitation and let the muscular woman pull her up and out of the car. Casey smiled and then turned to wave at her father.

"Hi Daddy!" She shouted.

Tom waved, but he didn't return the smile as he kept an eye on the other woman. She went to the trunk and pulled out Casey's duffel as well as her own. Black with the letters NYPD stenciled in white. It was quite a bit larger than Casey's. Tom figured that it was because Casey already had clothes here or it could be that she was broader in the shoulders than his daughter though she appeared to be a few inches shorter. Tom could see that although she was not a weightlifter her muscles were clearly defined. She took care of herself and that gave him hope that she'd take care of his daughter. Effortlessly she carried the bags as Casey led the way up to the house.

She walked with her arm around the brunette and climbed up the porch.

Casey positively glowed as she climbed the last step and stood before her parents. "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet Olivia Benson."

Liv set the bags down on the porch and held up her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you both, Casey's told me a lot about you."

Tom shook the detectives firm hand in his own, "Did you bring your sidearm?"

Liv glanced at Casey and then back to him, "Yes sir. Casey said it wouldn't be a problem."

He nodded, "I'll show you where you can keep it."

"Thank you, sir." Liv said, grateful that she hadn't gotten Casey into anything.

Casey squeezed her loves arm, "And this is my mother Caroline."

Liv turned to the just shorter than Casey redhead who smiled widely and pumped the detective's hand vigorously, "Oh, please call me Carol. Casey showed me a picture of you." The woman's green eyes rolled over the cop, "It didn't do you any justice."

"Thank you, Carol," Liv said with that disarming smile of hers, "Though I don't hold a candle to Casey."

Carol nodded her approval, "She is a beauty isn't she?"

"Okay." Casey interjected, "Introducing parents, check. Meet intimidating father, check. Mother embarrassing Casey to no end, double check."

Liv smiled and squeezed Casey's far shoulder from behind, "Okay, so let's get the bags put away and my gun locked up and we can go embarrass you some more." Liv looked over at Carol, "I heard the brothers are a riot."

"Oh deary me." She chuckled, "They get along like water and oil."

Tom cleared his throat, "Follow me." He commanded.

Liv arched an eyebrow at his gruff authority and smiled, "Lead the way."

She picked up the bags and followed Tom into the house. Carol pulled Casey aside and guided her towards the back of the house, "Your father bought a new boat last month and your brothers have just been so excited to go out on it."

Casey looked back to where Liv was following her father, _Oh no, I'm sorry Liv. I thought we'd at least get a few minutes._

Tom guided Liv up to the bedroom area and straight into Casey's room. He knelt next to the frilly bed and lifted up the blanket near the foot. "I put this lock box in here last week for your use, I expect you to keep your weapon in here at all times when you don't carry it. In the event of a break-in or emergency, you should know that I have a Springfield .45 in easy reach. I have combat experience and though not as recent as I'm sure you've fired your weapon, it's my house, I know the layout better than you and I expect you to let me lead." He pulled a pair of keys out of his pocket and unlocked the box. "Since you're a police officer, I won't ask you to use a trigger safety, but I damn sure want the mag out of your weapon before you put it in here. Put it on the shelf with any extras you have." He looked up at her, "Is that understood?"

Liv nodded, "Clear as a bell." She set the duffel down and pulled out her pistol and holster, "Glock 17, nine millimeter, NYPD uses hollow points for added stopping power. The weapon is department issued and so are the rounds so everything is logged and identified." She pulled out the magazine and racked the weapon, easily catching the airborne round in her hand. Crouching next to him she put her weapon barrel first into the slot before shoving the loose round back into the magazine and sliding it on the shelf. She then reached into her bag again and pulled out a spare mag before placing it next to the other. The holster she set on the bed before closing the box and locking it.

She pulled out the keys and held them up for his inspection, "Mr. Novak, I have a feeling that these are not the only keys for this box. You've shown me trust and respect by allowing me to keep my weapon nearby. I'm going to give you that same courtesy by not asking where the other copy is." She separated the two keys and handed one to him. "You may not like that I'm with your daughter, but my only intent here is to show you that I'm sincere in my intentions and that all I want is to make her happy."

He took the key and nodded, "We'll see." He said and stood up, "Casey should be at the boat with her brothers, let's not keep them waiting."

Liv nodded as she pulled the blanket back down to conceal the box. As Tom stepped back Liv picked up both bags and set them on the bed, "Shall we?"

He turned and walked out.

 _ **Introductions**_

Casey was talking with her brothers, but kept looking back at the house because God only knew what test her father was putting Liv through. She loved him dearly, but even after she had left, he'd given her no indication of either approval or disapproval, which gave Casey hope that he hadn't yet made up his mind about his daughter's chosen love interest.

Her mind eased considerably as she saw Liv walking out next to her father. Her lover looked up and waved subtly letting her know that everything was okay. Liv walked next to her father despite the natural tendency of everyone else to follow on his right, slightly behind him. Or in the case of two of her boyfriends, right behind him like a duckling following the mother duck.

Tom walked casually along the path to his newest joy. The 38 foot Bayliner had the large deck he liked and the cabin space he needed for his family, though it did lack in berths. Still, it was more than enough for day cruising on the river and even doing a bit of coastal fishing with his wife when he decided to retire.

To him it wasn't the same as his old ChrisCraft, but it was more modern had a much better bow and the twin Mercruiser engines could run it up to around 60 knots on open water. Its closed coolant system meant that it could run along on seawater just as easy as fresh. So whether it was the Capital or the Atlantic Ocean, it didn't matter.

Liv whistled low as the boat came more into view, "Very nice ride."

He glanced over at her, "You know something about boats?"

"I did a year and a half on NYPD Marine patrol." She said. "After a few months they even let me drive." She glanced at him, "Or should I say pilot."

Tom couldn't keep the slight grin from creasing one lip, he just made sure it was the side she couldn't see. "What kind of boat were you on?"

"I started on this old P-Boat that we used on the East River. We mainly assisted the Dive Team in underwater recovery, checking fishing licenses and things like that. But then I moved into RHIB's and got to chase speed boats, perform rescues, run down unregistered crafts, and things like that."

"He nodded, "So you know big and you know fast. How fast do those RHIB's go?"

Liv shook her head, knowing that she wasn't allowed to answer that, "All I can say is above fifty, by a lot."

Again he nodded, "I don't know how fast this goes yet, only that the book says forty miles an hour."

Liv nodded, "That's at least 45 knots, respectable. Diesel or gas?"

"Gas," He said.

Liv nodded as they reached the boat. "May I go aboard?"

Again Tom was impressed, "Please."

Liv put her foot up in the tail platform and swung her leg over the transom. Casey was there to grab her hand, but Liv easily swung her other leg on and stood up straight. Tom chose that moment to step up on the rail hard and cause the boat to lurch as he landed on the deck. Greg, Dennis and Carol were holding onto something and rocked with the boat. Casey lurched, but Liv's sure footing kept the detective in place as she caught her girlfriend.

"Thomas Eugene Novak!" His wife barked. "That was a dirty trick."

Liv kept Casey in her arm as she smiled at her father, "I don't know, it worked out in my favor."

Tom shook his head, "Just checking your story." He said as he leaned against the rail.

Liv nodded, "I'd have done it too."

"Oh, my word." Carol shouted, "You found the female version of your father, god help me."

Casey sat down on the back bench, "Yeah, I never could get used to these things."

Tom held an arm out to his perturbed wife. "Relax dear, no one was harmed."

Casey shook her head, "Okay, Olivia, I'd like you to meet my older brother Denis and my oldest brother Greg."

Dennis and Greg were both spitting images of their father. Each was six foot two. Each was tall and lean. Each had the bearing of military. Each had sea blue eyes, but where their father had salt and pepper hair, both of them had a dark brown that out of the sun would look black.

Denis had a jovial smile and a mischievous glint to his eyes that said he was the joker of the family. Something that had probably driven his father insane. Greg however made no immediate move to greet her. He just kept staring with a serious expression that mocked his father's.

Denis held his hand up, "So I guess I should get the party started and say "welcome". The grumpy guy in the corner has issues that he hasn't dealt with yet, but if you arm wrestle him, well, with those guns of yours you might beat him into submission. I, on the other hand am delighted to meet you. Corporal Denis Novak, US Army. The grump in the corner is Staff Sergeant Greg Novak, also from the Army and of course you met the old grump on the rail First Sergeant Tom Novak." He said like a game show host, "Olivia Benson, welcome to the Novak Zone."

Both Greg and Tom rolled their eyes at Denis's way of breaking the tension.

"Don't worry, I'll help Casey get you around the obstacle course." He joked as he shook her hand, "But, no call outs."

Casey rolled her eyes, "He's kidding, baby I swear."

Denis pointed a finger at her, "You've been here for dinner, tell me there's not an obstacle course."

"Denis," Tom said in a grumble.

He held his arms up, "What? You guys are all so serious, I just thought I'd lighten the mood."

Carol fanned her head, "What kind of heathens have I been raising?" she uttered.

Denis came over and kissed her cheek, "Only the very best heathens, Mom."

Liv laughed as she reached out to Greg, "You can just call me Liv."

Greg shook her hand, but let go quickly. It was obvious that he did not want to like her. "Nice to meet you."

Liv arched an eyebrow, but let it go.

"So Olivia, you're a detective." Carol started.

"Yes I am. I was recently promoted to detective second grade." She supplied.

"And you do the same work as Casey?"

"Actually, no I'm on the other side. My partner and I investigate and provide the cases to the DA's office for prosecution."

"Oh isn't that lovely." She said, "Casey does that awful work putting away those perverse people; rapist and pedophiles."

Liv looked over at her lover who nodded slightly, "I know. I'm the one who arrests them. Casey puts them away. I'm from Special Victims."

Greg frowned, "Now I'm not a law expert, but doesn't that create a conflict of interest?"

Liv looked at him sternly, "She's not a defense attorney, so no. Conflict of interest doesn't apply." Her voice held the edge of authority very similar to Tom's. The unspoken message was clear to him: _drop it now!_

He went to open his mouth when a glare from his father silenced him. He went back to leaning on the console.

Carol checked her watch, "Well Greg, Felicity is flying in this afternoon, weren't you going to meet her at the airport?"

He too looked at his watch, "Yeah, I should get going, it was nice to meet you." He started towards the transom and Tom straightened up, "C'mon, I'll drive you."

Greg didn't say anything as he stepped off the boat followed closely by his father.

Denis stretched his long lean frame, "You'll have to forgive my brother. He's had this stick up his ass ever since Casey told us about you. That's why Dad is going with him. He's probably going to pull that stick out."

"Denis!" Carol barked, "That is your brother!"

"Yeah," he replied, "Doesn't make anything I've said less true." He looked at Liv, "Honesty is a big thing in this house. It started with the big guy and he leads from the top down. Always has."

Liv bobbed her head, "That's good to know."

"Give him some time to decide if you're good for his baby girl or not and he'll be a whole different person, one way or the other." Denis stepped off the boat, "Hey Case, I've got a new twist on the tether that I think you might like. When you're done entertaining your girlfriend come check it out."

She rolled her eyes, "I'll still knock you in the head with it." She chirped.

He made the same moves as if he were catching a ball and his head turned to the side as if he missed.

"Yeah keep talkin' trash Denis." She shouted, "My girlfriend catches better than you."

Liv rolled her eyes, "Now I know where she get's her competitiveness from."

Carol sighed and looked at Liv, "You have no idea what I've gone through over the years."

"Given Casey's tenacity, you're probably right." Liv said. "I really wasn't expecting you to be so… okay with this."

Casey sat back and waited,

"Honey, I'm not sure I am okay with this but that's what this weekend is all about." Carol said lively, "Every one of Casey's boyfriends has come here and only two have been here more than once, none lasted more than twice."

"Really?" Liv smiled at the older woman, "How many didn't make it the weekend?"

"Five." Carol said nonchalantly, "But who's counting?"

At this point Liv wasn't sure if she should be nervous or relieved. "Has Casey ever brought a gal pal down here?"

"Just that nice Erin Ragan." Carol said fondly, "She was such a sweetheart."

"Reagan Mom." Casey said "Erin Reagan."

Liv looked at Casey, "As in Assistant Commissioner Reagan's daughter?"

Casey nodded, "We were friends in White Collar before I went to SVU and she went to Homicide."

"Damn." Liv whistled, "All this time I thought I had the juice, turns out it's you."

Casey shook her finger sternly at her lover, "Elliot calls for warrants, not you."

Liv laughed, "Okay, okay, I remember the deal."

"Good, the last thing my career needs is Branch shoving me off to Appeals or something."

Carol frowned, lost in their conversation.

"Office politics." Casey supplied, "It keeps us out of trouble."

Carol nodded. "Well, it was a long flight so I guess you two want to freshen up. I, on the other hand have to get a list together for the ride tomorrow." Carol dropped onto the dock and started towards the house.

"The ride?" Liv asked her lover.

"Dad's taking us all out on the new boat." She said, "He only ran it once and that was from the marina, home."

Liv nodded, "Then I guess I'd better find something suitable to wear."

Casey''s eyes grew hot, "I've got something you can wear?" She stood up and took Liv's hand, leading her off the boat.

"Something appropriate for your family?" Liv said as she slid her arm around her lover.

"Maybe not, but you'd definitely look good wearing me." She said as she nipped at Liv's ear.

 _ **Hot water**_

Casey jerked Liv by the belt into the upstairs bathroom and turned on the water before kissing the hell out of her.

"Casey, your mother." Liv tried, but her lovers long slim fingers were already working the detective's jeans off.

"My father isn't here, My mother is downstairs and I need you." She whispered and pulled Liv's top off.

"Oh my god, you're going to get us caught." Liv said right before Casey tore off her tank and unsnapped her lacy bra. Her mocha eyes grew dark as Casey finished stripping and stepped under the spray. She adjusted the temperature and gave her lover a come here finger.

Liv tried to protest, but her mind had already shifted gears. Casey slipped her finger in her own mouth and gently sucked the water from it. Liv's mind changed gears again and near instantly, her clothes were on the floor and she had her lover pinned against the tile wall.

Casey wrapped her long legs around Liv's hips and pulled the curtain closed

It was more than an hour before Casey came down the stairs. Her satisfied grin as bright as the sun. Her mother looked up from her list, flushed pink and started fanning herself, "Oh my heavens."

"What?" Casey asked innocently.

Carol arched an eyebrow at her, "Girl, you better tone down that glow before your father gets home. Honestly, Casey you've been home two hours and you're already doing… things you should have done before you left."

It was hard to be embarrassed when she felt like this, so Casey didn't bother as she reached into the fruit basket and plucked a few grapes from the vine. "Who said we didn't."

"Casey Jane!" Her mother barked, though a smile crept into her lips, "You stop that, I'm your mother and I don't need to hear that."

Chuckling Casey chucked a grape in her mouth and leaned over to kiss her mother who pushed her away.

"Go wash your face first, I don't know where those lips have been." Carol scolded.

"Mom, really?" Casey scoffed.

Carol turned away and pushed harder, "Actually I have a good idea where they've been and I really don't want to think about that."

" _Mom!_ " Case shouted in disbelief.

Carol chuckled to herself as Casey went over to the sink. "Just so you know you and Olivia used up all of the hot water."

Liv walked down in a fresh pair of jeans and a blue v-cut sleeveless tee.

Carol continued on at her daughter, "Imagine my surprise when I tried to wash out Chopper's dish and all I had was cold water."

Casey chuckled as she washed her hands and splashed water on her face, "Chopper really doesn't mind Mom. You think his bowl at the base is anywhere near as clean as it is here?"

Liv paused and tried to back away, but Carol called out over her shoulder, "I see you Olivia. Don't think that I don't know you're there."

Busted. Liv sighed as she realized escape was impossible. so she did the only thing she could do, cover Casey at her own expense. "I'm sorry Carol. My place has a boiler so we never run out of hot water."

Carol saw right through it and called her on it, "You lost track of time while you were making whoopie in the shower. I'm a housewife, that doesn't make me stupid. Don't try and BS me, I've still got some years on you, dear." She said and turned back to her daughter.

"So Denis left to go get Becky and Chopper, your father is with Greg picking up Felicity out of Fredricksburg, so you've got another hour before the whole platoon descends on you."

Casey wiped her hands on a dish towel and hung it back up, "So she's coming this time, for real?"

"Yes, she's coming." Carol sighed and looked at Liv, "She's been seeing my son for three years and we've never met her."

Liv snorted and looked at her lover, "Sounds like you weren't the only one keeping a secret."

"Greg always wanted to be like our dad, and Daddy never seeks approval from anyone." She said.

"He's really a good boy," Carol said, "He just idolizes his father, not really understanding what made him who he is. The war was a big part of what makes Tom who he is. You know he was a helicopter gunner in Vietnam?"

"Casey said something about that." Liv said, "Three tours, right?"

"Yes and his first one was under Colonel Moore, First Battalion, Seventh Cavalry." Carol said, "You ever heard of the Battle of La Drang?"

Liv frowned, "I think so. My partner was a marine and I think he said that they landed a battalion by helicopter in the middle of something like three enemy strongholds."

"Something like that." Casey said, "The battle lasted nearly a week and Daddy was in the first wave with a ninety minute turn around. Moore always told his men that he'd be the first on the ground and the last off the field. Daddy watched that happen. All week, if there was a flight, Daddy volunteered to take the door, he was twenty at the time. Moore stayed true to his word and he was the last of his men off the battlefield. Between Moore's battle tactics and his keeping of his word in the heat of battle, he became something of a hero to Daddy.

Casey stared at her love, "He volunteered for his next two tours and was shot down three times, but he kept volunteering. He'd have gone back for one more if he hadn't been hospitalized and shipped home. After that, the Army wanted to medical him out, but he convinced the review board to let him do his rehab before they made the decision. Ten months later, my dad did better on his PT test than he'd ever done before and the Army kept him on."

"Your dad is a hero." Liv said putting a hand on her girlfriend.

"Daddy said that Moore was a hero, he just served his country." Casey said.

"That and other things are parts of Tom that none of us can understand because we haven't been there." Carol said, "I didn't know Tom until about ten years later, even then there were things I knew not to ask him about and it took him a long time before he could put the war in perspective."

"When 9/11 happened," Casey said, "My father called me to make sure I was alright. I'd never heard him so shaken before and I begged him not to go back to war. You know what he told me?"

Liv shook her head, "What did he say baby?"

Casey swiped a tear from her eye, "He said that he was afraid his sons would go for him. In all of his life the only thing my dad loved more than the Army was his family."

Carol interrupted her daughter to give her time to recover, "Greg went over to Kuwait in '01 during the troop rally for the invasion of Iraq. Fortunately, he didn't go into combat. He came back in '03 and for a few months he had a chip on his shoulder."

"Greg thinks Daddy did something to keep him out of the fighting." Casey said, "Daddy won't say and if I find out he did, I'll buy him a bigger boat."

The conversation was interrupted by a dog barking and the garage door being opened. Liv moved Casey behind her as a ninety pound Doberman sauntered out of the hallway and sniffed the room.

"Jesus," She said patting her hip looking for the gun she knew wasn't there. Casey stepped out and crouched low, "Chopper! Come here boy!" She said excitedly. The dog wagged its stump of a tail, perked its ears and rushed to her, teeth showing.

Casey held her arms up and the dog rushed her and started licking her face. "Oh, that's a good boy! Look at you! You're so beautiful!" She said as she started patting his massive rib cage and scratching his ears.

As Casey had come out from behind her and the dog rushed, Liv's heart leapt into her throat, immediately she calmed as the dog was familiar to Casey. But the momentary freeze up bothered her.

"Casey, tend to your lady before she passes out." Carol chided.

Casey looked up from the dog to see Liv holding her chest. "Honey relax, Chopper's been in the family since he washed out at War Dog Camp."

Liv rubbed her forehead, "I thought he was going for your throat."

Casey shook her head as she continued to pat the dog, "Naw, that's what got him out, he has this quirk where he smiles. But, he's still a great trainer on base so they keep him around." She took Liv's hand and held it up. Chopper showed his teeth again before sniffing at her carefully.

"Casey?"

"He's smiling." She reassured, "Trust me if he wasn't you'd know."

Denis came in followed by a short curvey blond. She was about 5'3" with gorgeous features and a warm, pouty smile. Her figure was the envy of most women and though she seemed young, Liv could tell that she was intelligent because of the way her blue eyes shone bright.

"Hi Carol," She said as she set a duffel down on the floor.

"Becky?" Carol said with a warm smile, "My god child doesn't my son ever feed you?"

Becky walked into the kitchen and hugged the tall redhead like they were old friends.

"He feeds me fine, I just don't eat much." She said and nodded to Casey, "She's back from the Empire State. How are you Casey?"

"I'm doing great, sweetie," Casey stood up and hugged the girl, the top of her head coming just under Casey's chin, "How've you been?"

"You know the army, a whole lot of hurry up and wait." She said.

"New York isn't much better kid." Casey said as she returned to her girlfriend, "Never enough information and the enemy knows all your tricks."

Becky looked at the tall brunette with the short hair, "You must be Olivia."

"That's me." She said shaking her hand.

"Denis said that you're Casey's hot secret girlfriend." She smiled.

"Really?" She said as she looked at Denis trying not to laugh. "Remind me to push him off the boat later."

She laughed in amusement, "I'd pay to see it. I'm Becky, and I'm Denis's girlfriend."

"Nice to meet you."

Becky turned back to Casey, "And when did you start walkin' on the wild side?"

"Seven months ago." Casey said as she pulled Liv in close, "She's just got something I just needed."

"A nice rack?" Becky supplied.

"Rebecca Grace!" Carol barked. "You're as bad as my son."

"Hey!" Denis griped.

"Awe come on," Becky joked, "It's all I had on the fly and we both know I'm way worse than Denis."

"Oh, lord help me this weekend." Carol said to the heavens. "Just tone it down a bit, Felicity is coming and we don't want to scare her off on the first day."

"Oh Felicity," She said with a British accent, "I hope she's more cheery than her boyfriend."

Denis started laughing as he pulled out the dog bowl and put some water in it. "Between Casey seeing a woman, Dad having a new boat, and my brother bringing his girlfriend over, this should be a year for the record books."

"Don't forget," Casey added, "Chopper's here too."

Liv looked to Carol who crossed herself quickly. She leaned next to the Novak matriarch, "Remember, if it gets hairy, I'm a cop so stay by me."

She looked over at Liv, "Honey, if the cops could have solved this family's issues, I'd have called them decades ago."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: With so many things going on at the time, somehow I skipped over this chapter. I reinserted it and any comments should be left on the last posted chapter. Sorry about the mix up.**

 _ **First Impression**_

"Okay," Liv said as she rounded the bat over her shoulder, "Let it rip."

Denis smiled as he let go of the tether. The ball whisked under the pole and arched straight towards Olivia, who swung at it and missed. The ball tapped the bat as it zinged back towards Denis.

"What happened there?" He asked as he jogged in to retrieve the ball.

"The ball slows down a lot." She said as he chuckled.

"It'll take a little getting used to. We couldn't afford to go to the cages every day, so Dad's buddies built us this."

Liv straightened as Casey smiled and cheered her on, "It's okay baby. Once you get the hang of it, it really teaches you how to keep your eyes on the ball."

Denis pulled the ball back to the tether's end. "Ready?"

Liv set up and carefully eyed the ball. She dipped her head and Denis let it fly again. This time she watched the ball as it arched towards her and figured out the tether's pull. She swung and cracked the ball with all of her strength, sending it flying to the right of Casey's brother. The ball hit the end of its reach and flew back at her. Liv went from happy she'd figured it out to stunned as the ball sailed into her chest.

"Hey!" She shouted to Denis.

"Don't look at me." He barked with laughter as Liv rubbed her chest. "That was all you. Never seen a bounce back like that."

"Oh honey," Casey said as she fast walked over to her. "You want me to kiss it and make it better?"

Liv got a heated grin, "Later, I just might." She whispered.

Becky walked up with a bat in her hands, "Okay lovebirds, take it to your room."

Liv shook her head and Casey led her to the side.

"Casey and Denis make this look easy because they've been playing since they were teenagers." Becky chuckled, "I on the other hand, have only played with this thing for about four years and it still messes with me." She looked pointedly at Liv's well defined arms, "But I'm also not a power hitter."

Denis opened his mouth but closed it and shook his head at his girlfriend, "Too easy baby, you got to make me work for it."

She snorted at him, "Oh you're going to work for it or your sorry ass is on the couch. I'll sleep in your childhood bedroom by myself."

Liv was getting used to Becky's wit and it was becoming less of a surprise and more of anticipating what came out.

Casey stood back with Liv while Denis pulled the ball to the end of the elastic cord's capacity.

Becky rounded the bat and leaned in, making the batter's box as small as she could. Denis smiled and let go.

Liv watched as Becky crouched, swung, and smacked the ball with the end of the bat, sending it along its original arc and straight into Denis's glove. "Nice work baby."

He was about to pull the ball back for another pitch when Greg's Avalanche pulled up the driveway. Instead, he let it go and turned around as Greg parked right next to the Mustang.

Tom got out of the back door, straightened up, and closed it. He reached into the truck and pulled out a small black roller case, which he took by the handle and carried towards the house. Greg got out of the driver's seat and glanced at his father before walking around the truck and opening the passenger door.

Liv looked at Casey, Denis, and Becky who were all watching as Greg held the door for a long legged, incredibly thin woman with regal features in a suit and a phone stuck to her ear. There was no doubt that she was beautiful, but the way she held herself told Liv all she needed to know. She'd seen people like her at those society functions Alex used to take her to on occasion. This was a woman who thought herself better than those around her.

Tom marched stiffly up the drive. Liv kissed Casey and held her hand up to the man. "I've got it."

He stopped, looked at her and realizing that she knew he was irritated, he nodded and handed the bag off. Liv took the case and turned towards the house.

Casey didn't entirely understand what had just happened, but she had a feeling her girlfriend just scored some victory.

Liv looked over at Casey and tipped her head to the side.

Casey handed the bat off as Denis watched Greg pull two more bags out of the back of the truck and carried them to the house.

The woman continued talking and only as she followed Greg did the conversation become clear.

"No! I told you that it wasn't for sale for under a hundred and twenty-five thousand pounds." She said in a very British accent, "Gerome, if they won't meet the price then tell them that it's not for sale. My client was very clear that the price was firm and if the buyer can't meet it then there is no sale. Stop wasting my time with this one. If there's nothing else, it's been a long flight and I need to freshen up… No I'm at the home of my gentleman's parents in the Colonies so I won't be available for the rest of the week… If it is that urgent they can contact Remington, at least he has enough sense not to try to arbiter with a client whose price is set. Thank you, good day."

She closed the phone as she followed Greg through the garage door.

Becky looked at her boyfriend with amusement, "Oh sweet cheeks, I think you're right. This weekend is going in the books."

Denis shook his head and smiled, "Better and better, year after year."

 _ **Pleasantries**_

No one saw Greg or Felicity until dinner. Unlike most large families who have an elongated table, the Novaks went for a large round style capable of seating ten comfortably. Its hard wood construction was sturdy as was the classic American spindle back chairs. Denis arranged the seating for eight and set the table while Becky helped Carol place food on the serving dishes. A plump turkey overpacked with stuffing sat steaming on a square porcelain platter awaiting its carving and consumption.

Liv and Casey pulled two bottles of wine out of the pantry and moved glasses to the table. Carol looked out at the dining room and nodded, "Olivia, dear. Set Tom up with a pilsner glass, he doesn't care for wine."

"Got it." She replied.

Chopper sat near the wall and watched the tall detective with a careful eye. She glanced over at him and he smiled that startlingly toothy smile. She felt a chill go down her spine as the damn thing winked at her.

Liv set the glass down and pointed a finger at the dog, "You're just messing with me now. I'm not falling for it."

Chopper grunted and continued to smile.

Casey chuckled at her lover, "You realize that you're having a conversation with a dog."

Liv sighed, "If that's what it takes to let him know I'm not a tasty treat, I'll do it."

Casey rolled her eyes, "Chopper, where's Dad?"

The doberman perked his pointy ears, stood up and sauntered out of the dining room and up the stairs.

"Your kidding." Liv said.

"He'll be sitting in my father's study not four feet from him." She grinned, "Go look."

"Thanks I'll pass." She said with a grin. "So where are we sitting?"

Becky set a plate full of dinner rolls on the table, "Girl, your right here between me and Casey, safest place for you to be."

Liv snorted, "So how come you don't have an issue with us?"

Becky stopped and looked up at her, "I have two cousins who are gay." She looked towards the kitchen and leaned closer, lowering her voice., "Denis thinks they're hilarious but we've kept that quiet since we weren't sure how his family would react."

Liv shook her head, "So I'm your guinea pig."

Becky smiled, tipped her head and put on a cute face, "I would have said lab rat but okay. Believe me I'm taking notes."

"How opportunistic of you." She said with a smirk.

"I'm G2." she said, "I take what I can get wherever I can get it." She bounced back into the kitchen.

"G2?" Liv frowned.

"Military intelligence," Casey supplied, "All those years working with Munch I thought you'd know that."

Liv shook her head, "I tune out half of what he says."

As Carol, Denis and Becky brought out the rest of the meal, Liv frowned, "Honey. You've put me in a bad spot." She said and winked at her love.

"Liv mind your manners." Casey chided. "I promise you'll have your chance. Watch tonight."

As Becky walked back in with a plate of mashed potatoes, she smiled at Liv, wiggled her eyebrows and set the plate on the table.

Liv got an evil look in her eye and turned back to Casey. "Okay, I promise, I'll be good."

Casey didn't like the tone her girlfriend used, but before she could say anything Greg walked in with Felicity on his arm. No longer in the suit, she now sported an expensive silk shirt and tasteful dress casual slacks.

"Trust me, my mother has a very refined palette." He smiled at the setting in front of them. "All the best traditional American food for the holidays."

Felicity looked around the table with one eye brow arched, but as the scent invaded her nose, she inhaled deeply, "A bit common fare but it smells delicious."

Greg smiled, "See? I told you."

Although Liv doubted that Felicity was deliberately being insulting, she could easily understand how others could come to that conclusion. She pushed the thought away and set down next to her girlfriend. Becky came back again with a pitcher of sweet tea and started filling cups as she went around the table. She ended at her own and sat down.

Denis came in with Carolyn and both sat quietly conversing about tomorrow's trip. Tom was the last one through the door with a bottle of beer in his hand and before he sat down he looked around the table, his mind quietly taking attendance or, Liv thought more accurately, roll call.

Food was passed around in quick order and soon plates were full and Tom called for the dinner prayer. "Thank you Lord for this wonderful food and for the company of our family and friends. May You look out for our missing and bring her home soon. Amen."

"Amen," Liv said quietly.

Tom nodded and soon food was being consumed.

Liv quietly sat next to her girlfriend enjoying the hunks of dark meat covered in gravy. As she sat enjoying the meal, she was grateful that she'd brought her kettlebell. She was going to have to work all of this delicious food off some how. But, as she glanced over at her girlfriend, she started coming up with other ideas about how to burn off the calories.

"So Greg, I don't think that we've made any formal introductions for your friend here," Carol said.

"Oh, Mom, I'm sorry." He said quickly. "Um, honey, let's just go around the table. You've already met my father, Tom."

The old man nodded and returned to eating.

"Next to him is Caroline, my mother." He said.

"It's nice to meet you dear." She said,

"A pleasure, I'm sure." She replied.

"Next to her is my brother Denis and his girlfriend Becky."

Both of them waved politely.

"And the redhead next to you is my sister Casey and her friend Olivia."

She nodded to them, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

No one missed the fact that Greg had said friend, not Girlfriend. Liv looked up at Greg and then yo her love, who was ignoring it as she helped herself to extra gravy. Becky however gave Greg an arch stare but let it pass.

Casey, in an attempt to move on, smiled to her. "Nice to finally meet you, we were beginning to wonder if you were ever coming over?"

"Oh I'm dreadfully sorry for all of that, my schedule is actually quite full." She said quietly, "I was only fortunate enough to get away this weekend because of a last minute auction cancellation in New York City."

"Oh," Liv said catching Tom's eye, "What gallery?"

"The Markowitz Art Gala." She said "It seems they had an issue with booking some very spectacular pieces from Germany."

Liv shook her head, "They didn't have a booking problem. The pieces were stolen from the plane in their London changeover."

She looked over at Olivia, "How do you know that? No one does."

Casey shook her head, "Liv is NYPD and I work for the DA's office. We've been getting bulletins since it happened."

Felicity looked down her nose at Liv, "Then why haven't the police found them?"

Liv shrugged as she quietly lifted Becky's biscuit, a little payback for calling her a lab rat. "Because the theft happened in London and there's not much we can do over the pond. It's Scotland Yard's problem. But, we have pictures and crate numbers on all the items stolen so if they show up in New York, we'll find them."

"My agency suspects that the pieces were stolen from the Customs yard at LaGuardia."

Liv looked up again, "That's not possible. The theft was reported by TSA on inspection of the plane prior to unloading and let me tell you that you cannot open the back of a cargo plane on the tarmac without raising a huge number of alarms, including the National Guard."

Becky looked around her plate with a knife full of butter in confusion, "She's right, since 9/11 you can't fart in a major airport without getting searched. Let alone do something on the tarmac."

Liv quietly tore a piece off of the biscuit and put it in her mouth to suppress her grin. "The FAA reported that the plane also got better fuel mileage consistent with the loss of weight." She looked up at Felicity, "If I were your agency I'd look from London back."

Felicity scooted her chair out, and wiped her mouth, "Excuse me please." She left the dining room and hurried up the stairs to her room.

Tom looked at Olivia, arched his eyebrows and took a sip of his beer.

 ** _Later that night..._**

Three hours later, after working off her plate, and unbeknownst to Becky, half of hers, Liv carried her kettlebell to the car and put it back in the trunk before heading up to the bathroom to shower. She was intercepted by Felicity on her way to her room.

"Hey, did you get in touch with your agency?" She asked as she toweled off her hair.

"Yes," she said with a smile, "Thank you for that. Apparently there was a mix up at Heathrow. The crates were sent to Atlanta and got lost in the bustle of that airport. They were actually sitting in a Customs holding facility until they got around to identifying them."

Liv nodded, "Glad I could help." she said and headed towards Casey's room.

"Olivia?"

Liv stopped at the door, "Yes?"

"Your relationship with Gregory's sister." She said cautiously, "You both seemed rather close today."

"We are. Casey and I are very close. Good night." She said as she stepped into Casey's room.

Becky came up the stairs in a rush and beelined it for the bathroom, "I got next if the lovebirds haven't used up the hot water again."

Felicity paused outside of Greg's door, "The love birds? Is that what you call Gregory and I?"

Becky stopped and stared, "No, that's Liv and Casey."

Felicity's face contorted, "You mean…"

Becky, unable to resist the temptation pointed down the hall, "Oh yeah, they're a couple. Didn't Gregory tell you?" She grinned again and closed the bathroom door. Leaving Felicity staring wide eyed.

 _ **Headway**_

Casey went out jogging with Becky the next morning before breakfast, leaving an exhausted Liv to sleep in a little more. Honestly, keeping up with Casey's younger appetite was the only part of being with the young girl that Liv worried about. Alex hadn't been so… hungry. But, Casey was twelve years younger than her where Alex had only been five.

Still, as soon as she heard her love's voice, she got up, brushed her teeth and got ready for a day on the boat. She quickly packed a go bag with a change of clothes for her and Casey as well as swimsuits and sunblock for her very pale lover. On her way out the door, Tom called out for her and she diverted to his study.

"Yes sir?" She asked as she walked in.

"Can the 'sir' crap. I ain't no officer." He grumbled, "I have a safe here if you'd prefer not to carry your issue onboard. I'm the only one who knows the numbers so it will be secured."

"Where are we heading today?"

"Hadn't thought that part through, usually we'd head out into the Chesapeake, maybe half way to Baltimore. Otherwise, there's Washington or maybe even just cruise down the bay toward Norfolk."

She nodded, "Given how new the boat is to you I'd suggest running down the bay."

He looked up at her, "Why the bay?"

"New boat," she shrugged, "New capabilities, larger area for maneuvering lots of marinas between us and Norfolk if something goes wrong."

He nodded, "Anyway the offer on the safe stands, I'm going down about nine-thirty to get her started."

Liv smiled, "I'll be there."

He returned to the chart on his table.

After she left he turned his gaze down the coast line, noting the wide area and the marinas. "She's got a point."

* * *

"He told you he was going to the boat at nine-thirty?" Casey asked in disbelief.

Liv shrugged. "That's what he said."

"Damn," Denis gasped. "Liv I think you might just have a shot."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

Becky shook her head. "Usually he just tells Casey's boyfriends when we're leaving."

Liv took a large pull from her coffee, savoring the beautiful chicory flavor before swallowing it. "So that means what?"

Tom came in to the kitchen and poured himself a large travel mug of black liquid before turning towards Greg and Felicity. "Boat leaves at ten sharp." He said, "And we're heading south today."

Greg looked at his father, "we're not cruising up the bay?"

He shook his head and walked back towards the stairs.

Liv smiled slightly.

"See?" Casey said. "If I were you, I'd be there at nine-thirty."

Liv checked her watch and poured her coffee in a travel cup before kissing Casey's cheek. "I'll see you on the boat."

Casey frowned. "Where are you going?"

"Locking up my gun." She replied.

A moment later she was standing in Tom's study. He opened his floor safe and she handed him her Glock. He looked idly at the two mags she held out.

"They're NYPD controlled property." she said.

"Oh yeah." He said and set them next to the gun. He closed the door. Spun the dial and replaced the floor board. Liv rolled the mat over the cover and nodded to him. "Thanks, see you on board."

He nodded and started putting the charts in the case as she left.

 _ **Common Ground**_

Glancing around the dock, he noted Olivia's absence and sighed as he climbed aboard. As he unlocked the cabin door and descended into the boat he set the charts down on the table and switched on the main breakers. The lights came on and he noted that he was still on shore power. The battery gauges read full so he switched off the shore and started the generator from the panel. He set up the coffee pot with his favorite roast for boating and felt a slight tremor as the boat shifted.

"Permission to come aboard." Liv shouted.

"Granted," he said, "Pull the shore cable and wrap it up."

He felt something being dropped on the deck and then the shift that said she stepped off again. Another moment later she was back on the deck, "Up or down?"

"Under the pilot seat." He barked.

"Got it." She replied.

Looking at the switch panel he noted the gauges, "Turn the key, what does the battery read?"

He heard the solenoids click and, "Fourteen Portside, thirteen five starboard."

"Good." He waited to see what she'd do and the solenoids clicked off. "Really good." he said approvingly.

"Did you check the oil yet?" She asked.

"Gotta fill the pilot first." He said as he took the now full carafe and refilled his cup. "Come on down."

Liv picked up the bag from the deck and carried it down into the cabin, her senses were assaulted as her nose registered hazelnut. "Oh yeah!"

"He nodded to the carafe as he closed the panel. "You like Hazelnut?"

She polished of the chicory and refilled it. "I have a very Irish friend from Boston who lives on it. Every year we go hang out at his place and that's all he keeps in his house."

"In Boston?" He asked.

"Springfield, Illinois." she said, "He's army, too."

Tom looked harshly at her, "The only post in Springfield is Camp Lincoln and it's a reserve base."

She sipped greedily at the sweet robust coffee and sighed, "He set up Fort Justice for Springfield Arms last year and maintains a house on post."

Leaning back against the counter, "I think I heard about this guy. Something about how he got captured by guerillas in Panama, got cut up pretty good and left floating in the canal for dead. I heard he blamed the Army for it." There was some serious contempt in Tom's voice.

Liv sighed, "He did, but only for lack of training. Instead of whining about it, he constantly pushed for better training, better equipment, he's been in front of the Pentagon five times and the Joint Chiefs of two administrations."

"General consensus is that he's got a screw loose." He said.

"I know Staff Sergeant Colin O'Malley personally," Liv said firmly, "One thing that I can honestly say is that he doesn't have any loose screws. He doesn't blame the army for what happened to him, just that he had no training at all to survive his circumstances. He believes it so much, that it's become his principal reason for existence 'to push HQ and get the soldiers the training and equipment they need so no soldier ever has to go through what he did.'"

Tom frowned at her, "Those are his words?"

Liv stood tall, "Absolutely, it's the only thing he sees anymore. That's why he masterminded LETO. He wasn't getting anywhere with the Army so he got Gilbert Huff to foot the bill for a training center for Law Enforcement; to give us a better chance at survival. His games are the best example of real conditions a cop can have and I wished I'd had his training courses when I was a rookie. The FLETC in Glynco is starting to take examples from LETO. He's done all of this to prove that the existing standards for Basic Training simply aren't enough and need to be modernized like any other training for combat; Police, Federal Agent, and the military." She stopped as she realized how much she was putting into this argument.

Tom leaned back and glared hard at her, "He's your friend?"

Liv nodded, "And a damn good one. With all due respect, I believe in what he's doing and I'll defend him against the president if I had to."

"And is that how you feel about Casey?" He asked. "Are you that passionate over her?"

Liv tipped her head and narrowed her eyes, "More."

He carefully examined her posture and her movements, there was no deception, but there was conviction, and she had it in spades.

"Woman or no, you keep that passion for her and there will always be a place for you here." he said firmly. "Now, what have you found out about Aimee?"

She blinked, cleared her head and focused, "I haven't turned anything up that you haven't already. Mainly I've been backtracking along your notes for any new leads, but so far nothing. Honestly, the biggest thing I have going is that Aimee and Casey are identical twins. They both have the same face and DNA. I have a friend at the FBI who is going to run Casey through facial recognition as a test subject during their next routine check of the system. Hopefully, I can use the near matches to chase down the leads and get DNA to compare."

Tom frowned, "How much does he know?"

"That I need a favor, and that what I'm doing is legal." She said. "Aside from that he wants deniability."

He nodded. "Do you trust this friend?"

"Yes." She replied without hesitation, "He knew about my last relationship almost from the beginning which would have been a political disaster for her except that he kept it to himself. He was also the first one to figure out that Casey and I are involved."

He nodded again and indicated the topside with his cup. "Pop the engine cover, we need to check the oil before we get going."

"I got it." She said as she topped off her cup and headed back up to the sundeck.

While Tom pulled out the right chart and put it under the glass of the galley table, he also retrieved his phone and dialed a number at the base. The phone rang and a moment later it was answered.

"Top, I thought you'd be half way up the bay like a navy man." Came the voice of Captain Tomlinson.

"Still early sir, but I'd like your authorization to pull a file on Tuesday."

"What the hell do you need my approval for? Or is it out of our company."

"It's off post." he said.

"Give me the name Top."

Staff Sergeant Colin O'Malley, hometown is Boston Massachusetts."

"Where's his post?"

"My info said he's contracted out."

"Shouldn't be hard to find. I'll get LT on it Tuesday." he paused, "Why the interest Top?"

"Just thinking about Major Sanchez's brief earlier on training. I want to check it out before I put something up the ladder."

"Make sure it doesn't drip on us." he said harshly.

"Yes,sir." he replied, "Happy Independence day."

"Bye Top."


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: For anyone who had asked, my definition of Olivia Benson's build in this fiction and all of them really would be very similar to Rhonda Rousey's. Well built musculature but not a bodybuilder by any means.**

* * *

 _ **Learning Curve**_

 **The Potomac River**

After passing the town of Colonial Beach, Casey's father synchronized the two engines to one throttle and pushed them up about half way. The 37 foot Bayliner Avanti easily rose up on plain and glided across the smooth morning waters of the Potomac like a thoroughbred horse galloping across the Kentucky Derby. He adjusted the trim tabs and kept the bow down as the boat cruised, allowing the cool headwind to wash over the deck in a wonderful breeze.

Casey smiled as she stuck her head above the windscreen and smelled the waters of her youth. The wind blew her red hair back and she smiled wide at the feel of it rushing between the strands of crimson.

She'd missed being home.

Turning her head slightly she looked at her father who was watching her with a smile.

She beamed at him, sharing the same moment of joy at once again being out on the water. It was a love they both shared since she was six. His smile got just a little bit bigger and he tipped his head slightly, indicating she should look behind her.

Casey turned to her left and found Liv watching her with an admiration in her dark eyes.

She looked back at her father who gave her a barely perceptible nod and he refocused on the compass on the dashboard.

Casey turned back to her lover and held out her hand. Liv looked up at her from her seat and smiled again as she took the offered hand. Casey pulled her up behind her and Liv held her tightly, her chin resting on Casey's shoulder as they faced the wind. Olivia's short bob didn't flow like Casey's longer hair, but the wind didn't care as it caressed her too.

Tom watched them from the corner of his eye and for the first time, he started to think that maybe Casey might be on to something good with Olivia. Though not something a parent wants for his child. But, if a woman could keep that joy filled smile on his daughter's face, maybe it wasn't a bad thing after all. Casey had never looked so fondly on anyone as she did this detective. Casey shifted so that she could put an arm around the robust brunette so now they were beside each other, but still enjoying the breeze.

Seeing a friend of his crossing their path around a mile ahead, Tom gently turned the wheel into the wave his friends motoryacht was leaving. The move was barely perceptible, but it put him on course to cross the wake.

Liv and Casey were too wrapped up in the wind to notice the change and Tom watched them as the boat dipped sharply and smashed through the wake.

Startled, Casey grabbed on to Liv with both hands. But, what pleased him was how Olivia reacted. She'd held Casey against her strong body with one hand and her other hand grabbed the rail that ran towards the cabin as she steadied both herself and his daughter, shielding Casey from harm. It was all instinct and reaction. And both of them told Tom a lot of what he needed to know.

Casey reaction was unexpected since before she would have grabbed on to anything solid near by to keep from falling. Since she grabbed on to Olivia, that told him the detective was the most solid thing she knew. Liv's reaction was both of a person who knew boats enough not to grab the frame of the windscreen but the rail, and her protectiveness towards Casey said that his daughter did mean a lot to her.

Casey looked over at him and he kept his face blank as he gauged the course on the compass with the landmarks around them. She snuggled tighter into Liv's embrace and shouted over the engine to him.

"Thank you!"

He looked over at them, smirked and returned to driving the boat along the markers.

Liv shook her head and retrieved her sunglasses from the deck seat and saw Greg and Felicity sitting on the back bench talking, though the conversation didn't look overly friendly.

"What's with them?" Liv said into Casey's ear.

Casey had to move her mouth to Liv's ear to tell her, "They've been snippy all morning, but neither one will say why."

Felicity looked up at them and her frown increased.

"Either she doesn't like us looking at her or…" Casey said.

"Or Greg forgot to mention something to her." Liv finished, "Like his baby sister has a girlfriend."

Becky climbed up from the cabin with what looked like a Bahama Mama. "Hey lovebirds." she held up the drink, "Frozen strawberry lemonade. Give it a try."

Liv looked down at her, but took the glass, "A little early for a cocktail don't you think."

Becky finished the climb and grabbed on the handrail and got her glass back, "You'd think that, but it's a holiday. Besides, I don't start drinking hard lemonade until after two. You gotta pace yourself on this trip." She held the drink out, "Really, it's good, try it."

Liv glanced at Casey, but took the glass and sipped lightly at it before handing it back. "Nice, very sweet."

"See?" She said, "Best part is pouring a little Captain in it later to loosen up."

Liv chuckled at the young woman, "So what's the deal with those two?"

Becky looked back at the couple on the stern. "She's a bitch."

Casey smacked Becky's shoulder, "Becky! You don't even know her."

"Case, I love you, but sweetie you're too damn naive sometimes." Becky said, "She's stuck up, snotty, and she thinks that she's god's gift to the world. She's leading your brother around by his penis and though I think Sargeant stick in the mud could use a tough girl to straighten that stick out, that ain't what I had in mind." She looked at the brunette, "Liv, you read people for a living, tell me that you think Miss snotty is a good catch for him."

Liv shook her head, "I think that she's not happy with him over something, she's not privileged, but she wants others to think that she is. Greg seemed tense, but that could just be because she's upset and I can't help but wonder if that's over us."

"I'm sure that's part of it, but I think she's more pissed that Greg kept it from her." Becky smiled, "I think you guys are cute together, but I think she's homophobic."

"We certainly come across that in our jobs." Casey said.

Becky looked up at her. "Just make sure your boss never finds out. Collusion is a bitch." She said.

They both stared at her.

She raised a finger at them, "Hey I may just be a girl from Cottonwood, Kansas, but I do have half of my law classes done at U of V."

Casey smiled wide, "GI Bill?"

She sighed, "Why the hell do you think I joined the army in the first place? What I didn't know was that I have to pay for everything except the classes."

"Tell me about it, I've still got three years left on my student loans." Casey grumbled.

"So really, Casey I always thought you were a straight girl, so how did you turn into a gay girl."

"Casey isn't truly gay." Liv said, "She's… well, she's attracted to me."

'What, like just you?" Becky asked in disbelief.

"Just her." Casey confirmed. "No girl before or since."

"That's really weird." She said.

Casey slid an arm tighter around Liv and smiled at her lover, "Maybe to you, but I kinda like it like that cause I have something special."

Becky shook her head, "Why is it I'm younger than you and I see things clearer."

Liv looked at her, "What I'm not special?"

"Yeah, but what you're holding is way more precious because Casey doesn't look at anyone like that." Becky looked straight at Liv, "I've seen her last two boyfriends and Denis has met them all."

"What did I do?" He said as he climbed up with a big straw cowboy hat on to compliment his hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts. it was the bright red flip flops that had Liv laughing her ass off.

"You look like an idiot," Becky said with a smile,

"All the better to help my baby relieve stress." He said as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a white tube that looked kinda like toothpaste, He uncapped it, squeezed the tube and put a dab on his finger before recapping it and rubbing the dab on his nose.

Liv started laughing so hard Casey had to pull her to the bench to sit down.

Denis shoved the tube in his pocket and looked at them with his now white sunblock covered nose. "The best comedy in the world is brought to you courtesy of the Novak Army. One night only, try the lemonade, but don't drink while you laugh. It hurts when it comes out of your nose."

Becky turned to look at Casey and Liv, "One day the funny farm is going to catch up to him and I'll be rich on his disability checks."

"They have to catch me first baby." He said as he leaned in to kiss her.

"You get that white stuff on me, buster and it's just you and your hand tonight." Becky warned.

"Ew, gross." Casey grumbled.

Becky glared at her, "What are you grumbling about, that's all sex is for you, hands."

Denis stopped.

"Apparently she doesn't know how this works." Casey said to Liv.

"Ordinarily this would be a nice conversation to listen to," Denis said harshly, "You're my sister, which seriously ups the yuck. You mind sharing lesbian sex tips for when I'm not around."

Casey nuzzled Liv's neck. "Can't handle competition?"

"Yeah, I'm going to go vomit now." he said as he moved towards the back deck.

Smiling Casey got up and opened the small cooler that was built into the wall, "And on that note, I'm going to check on my dad. Feel free to explain our sex life, or not, preferably."

Casey pulled a tea out of the cooler and moved up to sit at the pilot's bench with her father.

"So how's it running."

"Like a dream." he said as happily as he ever got.

She looked over at the speedometer which was hovering around thirty MPH, she noted that the throttles were only pushed up about half way. "Not in a hurry?"

He pinched his lip and shook his head, "Just a leisurely cruise."

She nodded and put an arm over his shoulder. "So?"

He turned to look at her and quickly returned to driving the boat. "I'm trying to think of a name."

"The Curious Wanderer." she said and then smirked, "And that's not what I was talking about."

He shrugged slightly.

"Seriously, Dad. What do you think of her?"

He glanced past her and saw Liv sitting with Becky and Denis laughing about something.

"Well, those two like her." he said and shrugged.

"C'mon Daddy." she begged, "I know this was a shock and I know you'd rather just ignore it, but give me something."

He looked over to see his daughter's pleading eyes and her pouty lip extended beyond belief. "Casey, I don't know if you know this, but I'm not exactly… hip on the modern world. Hell, most of the time I'm either at home or marching troops around the base who seem to get younger and younger. So having a daughter seeing another woman is a long haul for me to take. What I can tell you is that I like her better than half of the guys you've brought here, but that doesn't mean I actually like her. The only way I can find that out is if you and she just be yourselves and we'll just see what happens. Fair enough?

"Yeah Daddy, that's fair." She said, hoping for more, but at least he gave her something. "I love you."

He took a hand off the wheel and one arm hugged her. "Everything I do, I do cause I love you too."

She put her head on his shoulder like she'd done many years ago and watched the river fly by them.

A few minutes later Tom smiled slightly. "Take the wheel, I've got to go check something."

She gripped the stainless steel wheel firmly and as he slid off to the right she moved in front of it. Tom checked the gauges and nodded to her, "Just hold the course to Cole's Point. I'll be back before then."

He stepped around the pilot's chair and as he headed towards the cabin, he caught Liv's eye. "The view is better up there." He said as he passed her and descended below the deck.

Liv glanced up at Casey who was happily holding the wheel like she'd been doing it for many years.

Becky backhanded her lightly in the breast. "Why are you sitting here? Go."

Liv stood up to make her way up, but glanced back at the small woman who promptly slapped her hard in the rear, "Move out, Detective."

Liv rolled her eyes and scooted up onto the pilot's chair with Casey. It was wide enough to fit two people, but Liv sat a little close anyway. "Nice ride."

Casey glanced at her with a big old smile, "Eh, it's alright for new."

"So, I think I like Becky, even though she just molested me."

"Say what?" Casey said her face dropping.

"Oh yeah, she smacked me in the boob and slapped my ass when I wasn't moving fast enough for her."

Casey started laughing, "Try to remember that she works in a place where there is no humor, there are no jokes, only serious information that has to be handled right all the time. So when she's not at work, instead of drinking like a fish she lets off the pressure through amusement. Honestly, I think that she fell for Denis because of his dumb and dumber humor. God knows he doesn't have anything else going for him personality wise."

Liv laughed, "I knew a guy like that, he got old quick."

"Yeah," Casey agreed. "What do you think of Denis?"

"I know I like him." she said quickly, "He's a goof ball, but he means well."

"He's gotten worse since he met her but he keeps her laughing." Casey said as they started up again.

Becky's face was turning red as she fell back into the bench and nearly dropped her drink. Denis had a stupid grin on his face while he held up her glass.

Casey turned back to driving the boat, "So it's odd for Dad to want to head south. Why do I think that you had something to do with it?"

Liv had an innocent look to her, "I just pointed out the advantages of staying close to services in a new boat. He made the call."

Casey smiled, "Liv, I think he likes you. Just remember to be you, the woman I'm falling head over heels for."

Liv held Casey tighter as her girlfriend piloted the craft. For a long moment neither said anything,

"It's strange." Liv said suddenly, "I would have thought there'd be more boats out considering the holiday."

"Last year the Yacht Club had a fire that took out a lot of boats, and then in late September, Hurricane Isabel came in."

It had been a busy month in September and Liv remembered the attorney being on the phone constantly though most ov the calls didn't seem to pertain to work. It was when she'd learned Casey was from Virginia and still had family there.

"Everyone was rebuilding and a lot of people who had boats, haven't gotten around to replacing them, or they took the insurance money and put it back into their homes." Casey sighed, "Even though Dad's house is on a hill, the swell was over six feet in the living room. The winds were kissing a hundred miles an hour and actually ripped down this six hundred year old willow that we used to swing on into the water. Dad's boat weathered it okay, but it came down on the seawall when the water receded and cracked the keel. That's not counting what it did to the house. They finally got it all back together around Christmas time but, like Thanksgiving, they had it at Denis's house in Bowling Green."

"That must have been hard for you." Liv said softly. "All of that and you still spent Christmas with me."

"Hurricanes are a part of living on the Tidewater." Casey said. "We almost lost our house to flooding from Hurricane Juan in 1985. In '96 Fran left us without power for six days and torrential rain for two. Bonnie and Floyd did the same thing in '98 and '99." She smiled at her lover, "We Virginians are a lot tougher than you New Yorkers think we are."

"I don't doubt how tough you are, honey." She said and looked around the banks at all of the American flags that were flying. The red white and blue streamers that lined the river and more than a few kids with firecrackers. "Now i've seen the way New York decorates for Independence day and it doesn't even cover all of this. Independence day must be something special here."

"Thats because we have a lot of history in the Revolution. We refused the Sugar act of 1764 and the Stamp act of 1765. We were the first to support the Boston Tea party by protesting the extradition of Boston Prisoners who were held by the British in 1769. Washington pushed the British from the Battle of the Bridge all the way back to Yorktown where Cornwallis surrendered. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence was our Governor. And I grew up ten miles away from where George Washington was born. Independence Day will always have a special home in Virginia." Casey looked over at her love, "Do you know New York's History in the War?"

Liv smiled at her girlfriend, eager to hear her love's voice talk about her home. "Tell me."

Casey giggled slightly at her beautiful girlfriend's enthusiasm, "After the Siege of Boston was won for the Colonists. Washington took the army to New York City to fortify the harbors against the Redcoats, but General William Howe had left Boston on his brother's fleet of british warships. Admiral Richard Howe landed them on Staten island unopposed. They fought again in the Battle of Long Island in which Washington go his ass kicked, but got his troops into Manhattan and allowed him to escape. Howe pushed his advantage, handing Washington one defeat after another with the exception of Harlem Heights, but Howe still pushed him back to White Plains where Washington crossed the Hudson and retreated south across the Delaware. Though Washington did take most of New Jersey back, and faced off with Cornwallis a few times, the British remained in control of New York until 1783, when Cornwallis surrendered in Yorktown."

"Baby, how do you know this?" Liv asked, amazed by Casey's knowledge.

"Independence Day isn't just my father's favorite holiday,' She said with her beautiful smile, "It's mine too. So I tend to learn the history of Independence wherever I go. Here at home, Boston and then New York."

Liv smiled, "Did I ever tell you that I have a thing about smart women?"

Casey remembered the night of her awakening when Liv had said that very same thing on her couch. "I think you might have said something to that effect."

Liv pulled Casey in tighter and watched the redhead pilot the boat across the river, unaware that her father had been watching them from the cabin stairwell.

They made it out into the Chesapeake before Tom slowed the engines and set course south, toward Norfolk, but he kept the throttle low and cruised at around twenty miles an hour as he looked for the sandbar that he could drop anchor on. Becky and Casey stripped down to their bikinis and laid on towels on the foredeck, over the cabin, to catch some rays while Denis brought the portable barbecue up from below decks.

Liv was standing up on the rail, hand wrapped around the stanchion, an extra set of eyes to locate the sandbar. She spotted shallow water and called it out to Tom who maneuvered the boat toward it while keeping an eye on the fathometer, or depth finder. When the gauge read five feet, he flipped a switch and the windlass released the Anchor into the water with a splash.

As Liv jumped down onto the deck, he started the generator to keep power while he shut of the engines.

"Olivia, go down to the panel and switch it from the inverters to the genset." He said.

Liv nodded and climbed below. She opened the panel and flipped off the inverters before switching power to the onboard generator. The lights came back on and Carol nodded her approval. "Oh good, I can use the stove."

Liv smiled as Carol haned her two beers, "One for you and one for Tom."

Liv thanked her and climbed back up to the deck. Tom was adjusting something on the dashboard and Liv held up the beer.

He nodded and took it. "Denis will have the grille running in a few minutes."

"Carol was happy that she could use the stove."

"Best settle in," he said to her in that low voice, "We're going to be here for a couple hours for lunch."

Liv nodded, "Sounds good to me."

 _ **Clearing the Air**_

Casey was in the galley getting another beer when Greg climbed down. She saw him and groaned loudly.

"Hey." He said as he sat on the stairs. "Case, I think we need to talk."

She looked up at him as she found the bottle opener, "Well, I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Seriously," he said, "I think you're… I think you should come home."

She snorted at him, "Yeah, well I like New York."

"C'mon Casey, look at what that place did to you." He waved his hand at her.

She turned on him and leveled her finger at him, "What do you think New York did to me? Oh wait, don't answer that, I know." She went to leave, but he put his arm up on the hand rail.

"Casey think about what you're doing." he said, "Mom took one look at Olivia putting sunscreen on you and went back in here and dad worked way too hard to get you that education you're so proud of for you to become the gay lawyer of New York City."

"See this is why I dont want to talk to you about this." She said in irritation, "You have no clue what you're talking about. Three of the best trial lawyers in New York City are gay; a man and two women. So forgive me if I don't want to discuss my best relationship with my homophobic brother."

"Better than everyone on base learning that their first sergeant has a dyke daughter." he said sharply, "If you came home-"

Casey tightened the grip on her beer and held her other hand up to him, "If you call me a dyke one more time, Denis isn't going to have to kick your ass, I'll do it myself now get out of the way."

"And if she doesn't, I will." Liv said from above him.

He stood up and looked at her. "Oh great, the butch who turned my sister."

"And I'm a butch with a really nasty protective streak." She growled, "Brother or no, I'll throw you right off the side of this thing if you ever call her a dyke again. Now move aside and let her pass before I come down there and move you myself."

He glared at her, but moved aside allowing Casey to pass. Liv glared one more time before she left the hatch and returned to the table where they were all eating lunch.

He went to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer and as he turned to leave, his father came down the stairs and glared at him as he came down.

"Great, she run right to you to tell on me?" He snarled.

"Look here boy," Tom said in a low tone that seemed to reverberate in the cabin, "I don't know what has gotten into that thick head of yours, but you better back that tape up in your brain because i'm going to put some information on it. This is the last time I'm gonna tell you nicely. I dont give a damn what your opinion is on Olivia or what Casey has going on with her. She is your family, boy, and you don't turn on family and if you ever insult your sister like _I_ heard you do a moment ago not only will you and I go, but you'll swim home. Is that understood, or do I need to get that tape to play in a loop for you?"

"So you're going to give a pass on Casey, again?" Greg snorted, "You were always soft on her."

"And you were always hard on her," Tom said, "It's her life, Greg. You don't have to like her choices, you don't have to approve of them, but they are her choices, not yours." he turned to leave, paused and looked back at him, "Oh, by the way, your mother has taken a liking to the smile that's on Casey's face whenever Olivia walks insight of your sister. You may want to chew on that for a while before you try to speak for her again."

With that Tom climbed the stairs and was gone leaving Greg feeling like an ass.

 _ **Riverside**_

"So." Becky said to Casey as they watched the guys packing up from lunch. "Tell me how you and Olivia came to be."

Casey smiled. "I really don't know. She's just amazing. From the way she's so gentle with the victims to the way she can body check a two hundred pound man against her car."

Becky rolled her eyes. "Not what I meant." She rolled over on the foredeck to her back. "Seriously, Casey. Tell me about you realizing that you wanted to see her."

Casey laughed. "Okay. Well, I lost a case that was important to me and I was drinking myself into a coma in a bar when she came in and checked on me."

Becky's eyebrows raised. "Boring! Come on get to the good part."

Casey frowned, "What good part?"

"Sex, attraction, when?" She grumbled. "Just because she's a girl doesn't mean I don't want the juicy stuff."

Casey moaned as she remembered that Becky wasn't going to stop until she got what she wanted.

"Okay, fine. We were on her couch talking and it was getting hot. Liv in her wifebeater with no bra." Casey shivered at the memory and Becky smiled at all the goose bumps.

"And just as I'm so needy I'm just ready to go for it, she kicks me out."

"What?!" Becky lurched to a sitting position. "What kind of story is that?"

Casey chuckled, "It's true. I'd never been with a woman and that night I would have done anything to be with her, but she sent me home because I was having an Awakening."

"The realization that you're gay." Becky was always quick at figuring things out. "My cousins, Mark and Joey describe it as a moment of profound need and understanding."

Casey nodded. "It was. I killed the batteries in my BOB twice that night."

Becky rolled her eyes. "That's TMI but I get it."

"Anyway. We work together so the thought of complicating that with sex just wasn't a good idea. I tried going to clubs and hanging out with other women, but nothing excited me until I was at home, thinking about her. Not to mention that every time I was around her, I just wanted her to touch me."

"And she did." Becky finish knowingly.

"Not for months." Casey admitted again surprising Becky, "I finally asked her why she was the only one who got me hot and bothered and she figured out I was a Onesie."

Becky frowned. that expression stumped her. "And that is?"

Casey smiled as she looked over at her lover who was helping pack away things. "I'm gay for her alone."

"And then you got together." Becky said at the dreamy looking Casey.

"Then we had sex." Casey's smile widened, her eyes closed and her voice got throaty. "A lot of hot, hungry, mind blowing, can't keep my hands of her, sex."

"Gross." Denis said as he approached and knelt next to his girlfriend with a blended drink. "Bad time to refresh my girl's drink."

Becky smiled up at him and laughed again at his white nose.

Casey looked up at him, "Where's mine?"

He snorted at her, "Your legs ain't broke."

"Are you sure your name isn't really Dick?" Casey cracked. "I bet it is and Dad just felt sorry for you."

Denis sat down on the deck near the edge of the boat. "I don't know why you lay up here every year. The only way you get a tan is from spray paint." He waved a hand at her pale skin. "Your girlfriend doesn't need a night light to find her bathroom, she just has to pull back the blanket."

Becky started laughing at his joke.

Casey smiled. "Thats funny. Almost as funny as Becky telling me that you asked her for a quickie this morning and she said 'as opposed to what?'"

Becky fell on her back in laughter.

"Oh." He said covering his heart. "That's cold, counselor."

Casey got up onto her knees and smiled at her brother. "No. This is cold."

She lurched forward and shoved him right off the side of the boat. Denis hollered as he fell backwards into the water with a loud splash.

She leaned over the side laughing at the straw hat that was floating on the surface beside the boat. Her brother still beneath the waves.

Becky was still laughing as Denis lurched to the surface, grabbed Casey's arms and pulled her in with him.

She screamed as she was pulled right over the side. Denis snapped his head around with a grin as she came up. Seeing her shocked face he laughed even harder.

Casey dipped her head under to get her hair out of her face and came up grinning.

"Ass... hole." She said with a grin and looked up to see Liv standing near Tom shaking her head at them.

Becky was still laughing as Casey and Denis swam to her. She kept her arms and legs away from their reach as they tried to pull her in too.

"Honey." Casey said sweetly, "Could you ask Becky to join us?"

Becky's eyes widened as she looked at the robust Detective. "No."

Liv shook her head. "Sweety, I can't just throw someone overboard."

Casey smacked her brother to get him to pay attention but her eyes never left Liv's. "I'll do that thing you really like. I bought new ones last week at that store you really like."

Liv's eyes got heated at the thought of Casey and new Victoria's Secret underwear. She straightened, climbed over the windshield, and caught Becky before she could run.

Squirming and shouting 'no' while laughing, Liv picked her up. One arm beneath the smaller woman's knees the other under her shoulders.

She looked at Becky as she tried to wiggle free and unceremoniously dumped the short curvey blonde over the side.

Becky sputtered to the surface and shook the water out of her eyes. "Jeez, what is that thing she likes, she didn't even blink."

Liv chuckled. "Sorry, Becky."

The blond looked up at her. "Liar." She teased. "God. If whatever it is is that good. I'll convert."

Denis looked up at the brunette and waved her towards them. "Olivia Benson, come on down!"

Liv laughed as she pulled the shirt over her head. Revealing her black sport top bathing suit and her hard stomach. She then slid out of her shorts revealing the matching bottoms. The suit was very conservative for a woman with her build, keeping her larger curves well concealed. Liv had bought it specifically for this trip because she wanted to have a modest suit in front of Casey's parents. If it had been Casey's choice, Liv would have been in a string bikini.

Becky looked at Casey who's eyes were fixed on her girlfriend. "Ha. She shows a little skin and you're all, 'ooo, my girlfriend's half naked, let me stare like a lovestruck teenager'."

Casey nodded, not really hearing Becky as Liv stepped off the side and dropped neatly into the water.

Denis made use of Casey's distraction and dunked his sister.

Liv came up a second before Casey, who splashed her brother. "You're going to pay for that."

Denis grinned at her. "Come and get me."

Casey smiled as she swam towards him, but Becky got behind her and pushed her down. Liv caught the blonde's feet and jerked. Becky screamed as she was pulled under by her ankles. Denis tried to get Liv, but a quick matchup had him under but he did manage to pull the detective down with him.

Carol looked over the side of the boat from the stern deck and smiled as they wrestled in the water. She didn't see her children as adults. In her mind she saw them as they were when they were kids. Happy and carefree. She felt an arm around her and looked up to see her husband. Though his face was stoic, she could see the amusement in his eyes. He was remembering too.

Carol's eyes fell on the brunette as she gently cradled their daughter. The cop kissed her and Casey cupped the detective's face and kissed her back.

"I like her." She said quietly.

Tom nodded.

She leaned into her husband and smiled. "You like her too."

He didn't reply but then again, he didn't have to.

"You just want to know if she's good enough for Casey." Carol said as she watched Denis and Becky push them under together.

Tom gave a slight smile. She always seemed to know his thoughts.


	12. Chapter 12

" **Okay, so i'm going to give you a heads up. Alot of these terms are researched so try not to get upset if you live in the UK and i don't use these words properly, I couldn't find a Briton to help me. also know that words like affair, i used them differently because i couldn't find what i was looking for after hours of research and still needed them for reader amusement."**

Standing in the galley Carol made sure that all of the cabinetry was latched before her husband got the boat moving. She had just finished when Felicity came down into the cabin.

"Mrs. Novak." She said formally, "Gregory informed me that there is a loo here somewhere."

Carol liked at her. "A what, dear?"

"A cloakroom?"

"The closet is over there dear." She said and pointed to a small door.

Seeing the very skinny door Felicity shook her head. "Um, the lavatory."

Carol's eyes widened in surprise and then understanding. "Oh, the bathroom! Over there, dear." She pointed at the head and Felicity made a beeline to it.

She came out a few minutes later and headed for the sink to wash her hands.

"So, it's very nice to meet you finally." Carol said as she sipped at a Johnny Vegas. "My son has been very tight lipped about you."

She nodded politely as she ran her hands under the small stream of water. "I'm afraid that is my doing." She said softly. "I asked Gregory to keep our affair discrete."

"Affair?" Carol jerked, "You're married?!"

"Of course not!" She protested indignantly, "I couldn't be galavanting with Gregory if I was. I'm not a tart."

Carol frowned, "You said you and Greg were having an affair."

"Yes," she said, "That's why I'm here because he and I are starting to get very close and he felt it was time to meet up."

Carol glared at her, "You're not married?"

"No." Felicity said. "I'm not married."

"Then you're not having an Affair." Carol said definitively.

Felicity blinked at her, "We've…" Her face lit up and she made an 'o' with her mouth and covered it. "Bloody hell, I'm doing it again." She smiled, "Gregory and I had a devil of a time understanding each other at first."

Carol took a large gulp of her Johnny Vegas and tried to focus. "You both speak English."

"And believe it or not," Felicity said carefully, "there are words in the UK that are used differently than here. An affair means that Gregory and I are involved."

"Oh," Carol said in relief, "Yes that means something very different here." She said as she took another pull from her drink.

"And this is the reason I've been rather difficult to chat up," Felicity said politely, "I've just been having kittens about cocking this up."

Carol spit the drink out of her mouth and coughed.

Felicity immediately came up to her and patted her on the back, "Are you alright, mum?"

Carol recovered herself and straightened, "Oh dear lord, let all of that mean something else entirely. Did you just call me mom?"

Felicity looked at her strangely, "No, I said are you alright, mum?"

"What is mum?" Carol asked as she dumped her drink down the drain, apparently drinking around Felicity wasn't an option.

"Mum," the Briton said, "like how you call me dear."

"Tell me that what you just said doesn't have anything to do with you and my son." Carol said and fanned her shirt against her chest.

Olivia came down into the cabin and headed for the refrigerator, "What did she say?"

"Tell her about the kittens and the other thing."

Felicity looked very nervous. "Um, I was…"

Olivia pulled three beers out of the fridge and set them on the counter. then she got the Captain Morgan out of the freezer. "It's alright, I've met a few Brits in my life."

Felicity closed her eyes, "I told her that I was having kittens about cocking up this weekend."

Liv didn't even bat an eye as she turned to Carol, "She said she was nervous about messing up this weekend."

"She called me mom." Carol said.

"More likely, she called you mum, which is similar to honey or dear. Like whataya want in your coffee hon." Liv said.

"An affair in her language?" Carol said eying the pretty girl.

"A relationship, like what I have with Casey." Liv said as she collected the beers, "I'll be topside if you need a translator."

Felicity got offended fast, "My affair is nothing like yours!"

Liv paused at the stairs, "Besides the obvious difference." she stepped up and was gone through the hatch.

Carol crossed her arms, "What was that about?"

"I'm sorry, but I take offense to being compared to a woofter." Felicity said and glared out of the hatch.

Though she was fairly certain that woofter wasn't complimentary, Carol had enough of an idea to where she really didn't want to know.

Felicity moved to the sink and searched through it, "Would you mind if I have a bitter?"

 _Oh dear, Olivia come back here!_ Carol thought, "You're welcome to whatever I have dear."

"Cheers." she pulled out a bottle and popped the top before taking a long pull. She sighed heavily and leaned on the counter, "I do apologise for losing my bottle. I'll try to be more chuffed."

"Okay?" Carol replied cautiously.

"Cheers for the swift half, mum." Felicity said as she climbed the steps to get back to her boyfriend.

Carol immediately went about making a new Johnny Vegas. One she planned on drinking next to Olivia. Just in case she had to try to understand her son's new girlfriend.

Tom adjusted the heading slightly and rechecked the GPS, he was right on course for the seaside restaurant he'd chosen in Cape Charles. He hadn't taken his family there in years and today seemed like a good time. The Shanty was an old hot spot of his back in the day and after the run today, he wanted a good draft with dinner. He knew he could get one at the bar.

Looking over his shoulder he watched Olivia quietly conversing with his wife and his daughter. Becky and Denis were sitting next to them, but there was no conversation between them. Tom noted that Denis kept putting his hand in his pocket. He smiled, knowing how his son was feeling.

Another glance over his shoulder found Greg on the back bench with Felicity. He hoped the alcohol would get them both to relax. He turned back to the compass and checked his course again. He glanced over his shoulder at the detective again and pulled back the throttles to idle.

"Olivia!" He yelled.

Liv looked up at him, "What's up?"

"Come on up here and take the wheel." He barked.

Liv passed a quick look to her girlfriend who sat wide eyed. She set her beer down and got up.

As she joined him, he stepped aside and tapped the GPS. "Here's where we're going. We're already on course so just go ahead and take us there."

"Okay," she said and without even the slightest hesitation, she sat down on the seat and checked the course against the display. "Any shallows between us and there?"

"No, but the Blue Crab Sanctuary is fifteen degrees on your starboard about a mile. It's marked with a buoy, best steer clear."

She nodded. "You have a speed preference."

Half his face tipped up into a smile, "Don't blow it up."

She smiled and nodded to him. "Yes, sir."

Liv gripped the throttles and eased them up slowly to half, adjusted the trim tabs and gave it a little more as the bow tipped down and the sun reflected off the windlass, she pulled down her sunglasses and eased the throttles up further. She kept a careful eye on the gauges to make sure she wasn't taxing the new motors too much.

Tom gripped the railing and smiled as the boat glided across the water. Olivia's adjustments were smooth and fluid. He looked over his shoulder to see both Denis and Greg staring wide eyed, Casey's expression had changed from stunned to pride.

Her girlfriend had earned enough of his confidence to allow her to run his boat. No one she'd brought home had ever earned that much of her father's confidence. Tom leaned into the cop.

"I'm going to go get a beer, then we'll see what this boat can do." He said and patted her muscular shoulder before heading down into the cabin.

Casey smiled at her mother. Denis reached over the seat back and ruffled her hair.

Casey smiled back at him before she collected Liv's beer and headed up to her girlfriend.

She hugged her girlfriend and kissed her cheek, "Now I know he likes you."

Liv smiled, "You have a great family Casey."

"Hey, you're making your way into this family." Casey kissed her again. "He'll never be open about it but just watch for the subtle things like the hand on your shoulder. My dad rarely touches anyone outside of a handshake."

"I get that." She said as Tom came up with a fresh beer.

"Casey, pass the word." He said, "We're going to let it out."

She nodded as he set the unopened beers in the cupholders and stood next to the stanchion. "How's it holding up?"

Liv glanced at the gauges. "Looking good, Tom."

He glanced back at the others who were putting bottles and cans in the storage cabinets.

Denis pulled off that goofy straw hat and stuffed it behind his back. He gave his father a thumbs up.

Tom turned back to Liv and was about to tell her to go when Casey came up and sat next to her.

He smiled slightly at his daughter.

"Okay, Olivia." He said firmly. "Let's see how fast she'll go."

Liv gripped the throttles, checked the sync and eased them forward.

Tom watched the speedometer rise with the RPMs. Olivia kept a steady and slow increase on the throttles as she guided the boat along its course. She stopped at just over three quarters and adjusted the trim tabs again, allowing the bow to rise slightly. He nodded his approval; by allowing the bow up meant that she had better control when she drove the boat into waves. It was also easier on the keel.

Liv gripped the throttles again and eased them up a little more. She held it steady at around forty-five miles an hour. She listened to the rumble of the engines and kept an eye on the gauges. She was being very careful more due to the age of the boat as opposed to its owner. The engines below the deck were brand new and though theoretically they should have been broken in by now, she didn't want to take the chance. She wouldn't have even if she owned it.

"See if you can get fifty." Tom called out.

Liv didn't grip the throttles, she just open palm tapped them forward. In a few seconds she had the speed he wanted.

"I think after she's broken in, she'll do sixty." She called out.

Tom looked at the throttles and the gauges and nodded, "I think you're right." He looked at his daughter, "Casey?"

She nodded, "I believe it will."

"Back it down to forty and hold the course." He popped the cap on a beer and handed it to her. "Nice work, Liv."

He took the other one and sat down next to his wife.

He spent the next hour watching Olivia and Casey while talking to Denis and Becky about work and the Army.

Before long Liv was calling back to him. "I got land ahead."

Tom looked at his watch, "We're ahead of schedule. Back it down."

Liv obeyed as Tom got up and looked at the familiar terrain, "Nice job. Casey, tell her how to get into Cape Charles."

She looked at him, "You want me to take over?"

"Olivia can handle it." He said confidently and went back to his wife. Casey grinned widely.

As he sat down Greg looked at him strangely, "Dad, are you alright? You barely know her."

He nodded to his son, "She can handle it."

Under Casey's direction, Liv piloted the boat expertly into the river and right in to a slip at Tommy's on the Waterfront.

Casey jumped down to the dock and tied the stern line while Liv shut down and went to toss her the bow line.

"Okay." He said. "I know the girls want to head into town. Any man here is welcome to join me at Tommy's for a drink." He looked at Liv. "You're welcome too if shopping isn't your thing."

Casey wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, "Actually, Liv likes shopping with me."

Becky snorted. "I don't remember a Victoria's Secret being in Port Charles."

Liv arched an eyebrow at her, "I was told that you bought a very small bathing suit in town. One that you don't wear on the boat."

Becky smiled at her, "That's because I respect Tom and Carol enough not to have my very sweet cheeks hanging out and now that you're here, I don't want you staring; Casey might get jealous."

"Becky," Casey interjected. "My beautiful Detective never stares unless she's staring down a suspect."

"Casey," Tom interrupted. "You and Olivia keep it discrete in town. Try not to upset the old people."

She nodded. "We're good at discrete."

"I'd settle for you just chivvying along." Felicity said. "Could you stop fannying around and budge up?"

Liv moved Casey off of the ramp that lead to the ground.

"No reason to be Posh." Becky snapped, "Keep your slag to yourself before you get snookered."

Felicity turned to look at her, "Pardon me?"

"You heard me and Bob's your uncle, slapper." Becky growled.

"Becky, stop." Olivia said stepping in front of the curvy blonde.

"Does anyone know what they're saying to each other?" Denis asked.

"I don't think I want to." Carol said.

Tom just looked straight at Greg.

"Okay honey, I think it's time to go." He said and gently took her arm. "C'mon."

"Check that tosser, Greg." Becky said and rose her two fingers in a V shape like she was flipping someone off.

Felicity looked and got very red with anger before stalking off with Greg looking confused but rushing after her.

"Becky," Tom rumbled, "What was that?"

She looked up at him, "Believe me, you really don't want to know how rude she was."

Liv and Casey looked at each other. The truth was that Becky was way ruder but Liv didn't say anything.

"Tom, I'm your G-2. Trust my information." She said again to the eldest Novak.

Tom finally nodded and headed towards the bar. Becky took Carol's arm and smiled up at her, "Shall we skip along main street together and leave the Lovebirds behind to do…"

"Don't go there Becky." Carol cautioned. "I'm not ready to go there."

"Brings new meaning to handouts." She called out to Casey.

"Becky!" Casey shouted.

"Dont get your hand caught in the pudding!" She barked in laughter.

"Rebecca Grace!" Carol chided, "You stop that."

"Awe come on, I got one more." She pleaded. "Please."

Carol rolled her eyes, "If I let you, will you stop turning my stomach?"

She quickly saluted, "On my honor."

Carol waved a hand and Liv's eyes widened.

"Okay." Becky turned to the couple and smiled. "Liv turns to Casey and says, 'I want to be frank with you.' Casey replies by saying, 'I thought it was my turn to be Frank.'"

Liv and Denis started laughing, Carol tried not to and failed, and Casey covered her mouth and smacked Liv's shoulder, "I can't believe you told her that!"

Liv stopped laughing as Casey burst into a giggling fit. Realizing that her girlfriend was joking, her smile returned.

Denis leaned against the boat with his hand to his chest, "I can't breathe! Nice shot Case." He said. "I can't breathe!"

Carol covered her mouth. "Casey Jane, shame on you." She said through her chuckles.

"Hey, that was all short round over there." She shouted, "I got blamed enough for Denis growing up, don't add Becky to the list."

Casey looked over at her lover, "The reason I became a lawyer was because Denis had this way of blaming me for everything. I can't tell you how many of his dishes I washed after being falsely convicted in the eyes of our parents."

"Well I'm glad you're a lawyer, otherwise I might never have met you." Liv said as she slipped an arm around her lover's waist and nuzzled her neck. "Maybe we should stay with the boat." She whispered.

Casey felt her heart racing as heat poured through her body and settled in one place.

The redhead glanced up to see the others walking away. "I think that might be a good idea."


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: Sorry about the format glitch, i don't know what happened but here it is again.**_

 ** _Proposition_**

At the sight of the New York number on her phone, Liv excused herself from the Novak dinner to take the call. Tom watched as she stepped into the kitchen and kept an eye on her as Becky glared menacingly at Greg's girlfriend.

The cruise back from Port Charles had ended up with Denis sitting Becky next to Liv and Casey at the wheel. At 5'4" and a hundred and seven pounds, Becky didn't look like it, but his sweet Kansas girlfriend with the sharp wit was also quick to throw down, country style. Especially when it came to the Novak's, she loved being a part of this family and was fierce in her defense of it. Something that had endeared her to both Tom and Carol.

Felicity, however, wasn't what anyone in this family wanted for Greg. But Tom, true to form, kept his thoughts to himself and just passed his disapproval on the same way he always had, by ignoring her completely. Though he never said a word about it, Greg knew that his father didn't like her.

Olivia on the other hand….

The tough New Yorker was, ironically, one of Casey's better choices though he wasn't thrilled that his daughter had brought home a girlfriend. Yet, just like he would do with Greg, he'd do with Casey. It was their lives so he'd let them live it.

Olivia came back with a new expression that Tom hadn't seen before as she sat in her seat between Casey and Becky.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

Liv looked up at him and gave a small smile as she sat next to Casey, "Just a friend getting back to me on a cold case."

His eyes snapped to her as did Casey's.

"Good news I hope." Casey said hopefully, knowing that look that said Liv was on to something and waiting for more information.

Liv nodded, "A step in the right direction, but not what I would call dinner conversation."

"Well, I do have some good dinner conversation." Denis said as he stood up. "I just want to say how wonderful it is to have us all together again. The last year has been a rough one with Casey off in New York and the Hurricane, but, I think it all turned out for the better. Mom got to renovate the house and Dad got someone else to pop for it. Thank you Mutual Flood."

Becky chuckled softly at her man.

"Not only did Casey get to come home for the Fourth, but she brought probably the best boyfriend I've ever seen her with."

"Where is the sonofabitch." Liv barked in mock offense causing some chuckles.

Denis smirked at her, "Don't hit yourself Liv. Casey's best boyfriend is actually her only girlfriend."

He picked up a glass of whine and held it up. "I just want to say that I think it's great that we can get everyone together like this." His smile faded as he looked around the table and then the floor and under the table, "Wait, we're missing someone. Chops! Where are you?"

They heard the doberman bark from the living room.

"Well get in here, I need my wing man!"

Everyone heard the clacking of his nails on the hardwood floor as he loped into the room.

Becky started laughing as he trotted into the dining room. Casey laughed wholeheartedly and covered her mouth, falling into Liv who was also chuckling.

Chopper was wearing a K-9 tuxedo jacket with full sleeves that reached his front paws. His shirt was clean and pressed and he even wore a bowtie. Liv caught the gleam from the undershirt sleeve cuffs and saw bright gold cufflinks.

"Omigod." Becky chuckled. "Look at you pretty boy."

The dog smiled at her and scratched his belly with his hind leg.

"I know," Denis said as he knelt on one knee next to his girlfriend, "Tux's make me itchy too. Come here, boy."

The dog's tongue lolled out and he came to his owner's side and sat down.

He pet the dogs head as did Becky.

"Did you bring it?" he asked the dog.

A woof was the response and he nodded, "Good boy." Denis looked up at Becky, "So Choper and I had a discussion a couple of weeks ago…"

She waved a finger at him as Liv quietly lifted the blonde's plate and passed it to Casey who handed it to her father.

"That must have been some talk." She chuckled and returned to her plate to find it missing. "Liv?!" she growled.

The brunette shook her head, "Blame your boyfriend or the dog. I didn't have anything to do with this one."

Becky turned to see Denis on one knee and Chopper sitting with both front paws off the floor. A black box and a diamond ring in Denis' hand.

"You've been the best part of me for years and Chopper and I want to know if you want the job full time. Rebecca Grace Hamilton… will you marry me?"

Chopper barked once.

"Omigod!" She jerked out of her seat and fell to her knees, her arm would have sent her dinner plate flying as she shoved herself away from the table. Her hand clutched at her heart. "Omigod omigod!, Denis! You idiot! Hell yes I'll marry you!"

Grinning wildly, Denis gently took the ring out and handed the box to Chopper before slipping the ring on her finger.

Becky could barely breathe as the rest of the family stood up and started applauding. Becky leapt into his arms, knocking them both to the floor and Chopper dropped the box and bounced around them happily as Becky kissed her fiance for all that she was worth. After a moment of intense emotion from her, Denis finally got her back on her feet and she beamed like a fool at the rest of them.

Carol came to her and hugged her tightly, "Welcome to the family sweetie. It's overdue."

"Omigod, Carol." She whispered, "Thank you, thank you."

"Denis," Tom said with a rare proud smile as he shook his son's hand. "Well done, congratulations."

"Thanks Pop." He said and put an arm over Becky's shoulder, "I always said she was a keeper."

"That was me, bonehead." Casey said as she hugged her brother, "I said that she's a keeper."

Denis hugged her back. "And you were right."

Casey moved to Becky and pulled the shorter woman into her embrace. "Congratulations kid." She said. "You were always part of our family, I've just been waiting for the official word."

With tears in her eyes Becky squeezed the lawyer. "Oh Casey, I can't believe it. We've never talked about it at all."

Casey smiled and squeezed her tight, "Good thing he's got a cool sister to help him out."

Liv tried to shake her hand to congratulate her, but Becky jumped into her arms and hugged her, "Ohmigod, Liv. I'm so happy to have met you and that you were here for this."

Greg shook her hand and Felicity nodded to her.

Tom picked up a glass of wine, clanged his wedding band against it three times and rose the glass in the air.

"Becky and Denis." Tom rumbled happily with the others raising glasses. "May God hold you in His hands, and never squeeze too tight."

Carol smiled and came to her husband's side. "I've always loved you like a daughter and I'm so very thrilled that you will be and I know that you and by son will always laugh, and you will always love. Bless you both."

 ** _Sympathy_**

Wearing only a tiny blue thong, Casey held on tightly to her lover as they lay in bed. Despite the central air, both were too hot to lay beneath the blanket after making love. Her sexy detective was spooned behind her, those wonderful hands tracing random patterns on her hip and ribs.

There was no doubt that she was in love with the beautiful woman. Though her family still had reservations about her being with another woman, her parents had accepted that Liv's intentions were true and that she meant the world to Casey. Even so, they kept their love making slow, sensual, and quiet despite Denis's room being empty.

Denis and Becky stayed on the boat for the night, no doubt so they could get it on without disturbing anyone or embarrassing themselves. Celebratory engagement sex. Casey suspected that everyone was leery about having sex in their parents house no matter what age you were. It was a respect thing.

Liv's fingers slid along her ribs until they traced along the edge of her small breasts. Feeling herself getting all fired up again she placed her hand over Liv's and brought it up just a little higher. Liv smiled as she buried her face in those red strands and inhaled.

Just as Casey started to roll over to straddle Liv's thigh they heard hushed voices in the hall.

"Felicity, come on." Gregg said in a low grumble. "You're being unreasonable."

"No I'm not." She replied. "I can't do this."

Casey slid out of bed and crept to the door to listen. Liv got up and looked out of the window at the driveway. A white taxi sat at idle with just its parking lights on.

"It sounds like she's leaving." Casey whispered.

"She is." Liv said and pointed to the cab.

Casey pulled the sheet off of the bed and wrapped it around herself before pushing open the window.

"Baby don't go." Greg said. "I know it bothers you, but it doesn't have anything to do with us."

She dragged her suitcase to the car and the middle aged driver got out and opened the trunk.

"Gregory, I can't accept this. I can't accept them. You know why and the fact that you want me to ignore it is unconscionable. I'm sorry, I know why you want me to stay, but the very same reason you want me to overlook them is the same reason I can't. I love you, but I can't do this."

She didn't even say goodbye as she got into the cab and left.

Casey felt her heart break for her brother. Though Felicity had been a snob and openly rude to her, she'd meant a lot to Greg or he wouldn't have put up with her. As her brother stood in the driveway completely motionless, Casey turned to Liv only to find her lover gone and the door open a crack. She turned to look out the window and caught sight of her girlfriend, in only shorts and a t-shirt walking slowly out to him.

"Greg?"

He stiffened at the velvet voice and glared at her, "What the hell do you want."

She paused a few feet away. "To say I'm sorry."

"Right." He sneered. "Like you're not happy she's gone."

"I'm not." She replied. "I would have rather gotten to know her better. Aside from not caring for Casey and my relationship, she seemed nice, sweet even."

He turned and stalked to the house. "You don't know her like I do."

"I know." She said and made her way back to the house.

"No you don't." He growled. "You're right. She was sweet. She was also thoughtful and caring." He plopped down on the porch swing to stare at her. "She made me think about things so differently. I used to go to formation tired as hell because we'd stay up talking all night on the phone."

She nodded as she sat next to him. "I've been there."

He snorted at her. "Sure. You going to tell me how you and Casey are like that?"

"Not really," she looked out into the night. "Pretty sure you don't want to hear about my intimacies with your sister, but she's not the only one I've dated."

He rolled his eyes.

"I used to date this guy," she chuckled. "Raymond Styles, good looking, good in bed, and we always seemed to have something to talk about. There were days when I was practically falling asleep in my patrol car." She turned to look at him. "I was afraid of red lights for a while because I was worried I'd fall asleep waiting for it to turn green."

"What happened?" He asked.

By the question alone Liv knew she was finally breaking through to Greg. "I came off patrol and went into Special Victims. After that, the bane of my relationships reared its ugly head."

She waited, but didn't have to wait long.

"So what's the bane of your relationships?"

She looked up at him. "Well, when men find out what I do, they're either disgusted or they get way too interested. Either way, it's over. For women there is no 'too interested', just disgust."

"And Casey?"

"There are two sides to law enforcement. I arrest murderers, rapists, and pediphiles and she prosecutes them. It's a hard job and we know what the other has to deal with and we lean on each other when we need it."

He nodded. "Well the one I lean on just left."

Liv rested a hand on his shoulder. "Inside this house are six others that are up to the task and that includes me."

"You!" He sneered. "Last time I looked you and I weren't exactly friends."

She kept her 'calming the victim's' voice. "Greg, I'd like to be your friend."

He turned his head toward the end of the driveway. "I don't see why. I don't like what you and my sister are doing and I haven't been quiet about it."

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Because it makes Casey happy. Greg, I'm not asking you to call me up, meet up at the bar, introduce me to your friends, throw a few back, and chuck peanuts at the TV cause the Mets lost. I'm just saying that I'm here if you want to talk. I understand loss, I see it every day and I've lived it too."

She stood up and went to the front door, but looked back at him. "I think you have a great family. One that I'd like to be a part of, if you'd give me a chance."

 ** _Breakthrough_**

She left him on the porch and headed into the kitchen. As she pulled open the refrigerator door, the light illuminated the kitchen. She jumped at the sight of the Doberman sitting on the kitchen rug staring at her.

Liv reached over the counter and turned on the stove light. Chopper sat staring at her as if he was thinking.

She put her hands on her hips and squared her shoulders as authoritatively as she could and glared at him. "You do know I carry a gun, right?"

A powerful snort and a toothy grin was his response.

"Uh huh." She said. "I've got a taser too."

His tongue lolled out.

"Yeah," she stuck her tongue out, "my ass."

Chopper woofed and grinned at her again.

Sighing she turned to get a glass out of the cabinet. "Let's just agree to disagree. Okay?"

She went into the fridge and pulled out the sweet tea. After she returned the pitcher to the shelf she looked through it for a small snack for Casey, preferably one she could use seductively. A cold, wet object touched the outside of her palm and she jumped. Chopper nudged her hand again and she closed the door and knelt in front of him.

He didn't smile, but his dark brown eyes were soft and thoughtful.

"You really do have a personality, don't you."

He tipped his head to the side and pinched the two dots over his eyes together.

"I'm sorry." She said as she petted his head. "I've never had a dog so I don't know much."

Leaning in to the side of her head. She felt his rapid sniffing of her against her ear. Suddenly she felt a quick, but gentle lap of his tongue against her earlobe before he backed up and looked at her again.

"Okay. You're pretty awesome." She tapped her finger against his nose. "But that grin of you're is pretty creepy."

The dog showed her that very smile.

She shivered. "That's what I mean. I should bring you into the interrogation room and let you stare down the suspects. You'd get us tons of confessions."

Olivia continued to pet the dog and Chopper was soaking up the attention. After a few minutes more she opened the fridge, pulled out a small piece of Turkey, and tossed it to the Doberman who caught it neatly.

She petted his head one more time before taking the glass of tea upstairs to Casey.

Chopper gobbled the slice down and walked back into the living room where Tom had been watching ever since the cab showed up.

A quiet woof and the man knelt next to the dog and ruffled his ears.

"Yeah, I like her too.

 ** _Acknowlegement_**

As the weekend passed Liv regretted having to go home. She was almost starting to feel like she belonged here, though it was ridiculous since she'd only met Casey's family for the first time a few days ago. Denis and Becky seemed to think that she and Casey were good together. Greg hadn't said much one way or the other, but he had finally lost the attitude after their talk the other night. Carol, though still on the fence about the idea that her daughter has girlfriend, still treated her well. The only one she wasn't sure about was Casey's father. Tom hadn't said a lot, but he'd respected her and Casey had told her that was a good thing. The fact that he'd had her driving his boat twice was something Casey and Becky swore never happens. It was three years before Becky had even sat in the seat with Tom's approval.

Even so, Liv felt like acceptance was still a long way away.

As she and Casey were packing up to head home, Carol knocked gently on the door frame.

Casey smiled up at her mother as she discreetly covered the six pairs of sexy panties in her bag.

"Olivia," she said sweetly with her Virginia twang. "I forgot to ask you for your address and phone number so I can coordinate Casey's birthday with you."

"No problem, Carol." Liv smiled and reached into her purse for a card and a pen. "Just let me know what I can do to help."

Groaning Casey put her light makeup kit into her bag, "Not really sure I like the collusion going on between my mom and my girlfriend."

"Don't be worried dear." Carol said as Liv handed her the card. "Olivia and I just want to make sure it's special."

"Objection, misleading." She grumbled.

Liv smiled and put her strong arms around her. "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

Casey rolled her eyes. "You need a bible."

Carol smiled. "Bedside table, those nice Gideons gave it to us a few months ago at church."

Both Liv and Casey stared at her.

"It's a Gideon's bible." She said defensively. "I'm not saying anything about your relationship I'm just saying there's a bible there if you need it."

Casey smiled at Liv's confused face. "My mom has never actually been to court."

Liv frowned. "Hasn't she seen Law and Order?"

"Not her kind of show?" Casey said with a grin. "She likes the Simpsons."

"Olivia?" A deep male voice echoed down the hall. "Could you join me in the study?"

Liv kissed Casey and walked to Tom's study.

"Yeah, Tom." She said as she walked in.

He looked up from his desk. "I wanted you to see this." He handed her a file. Curious, Liv took it and opened it to find documents on the Adoption Agency.

"Madison Adoptions." She looked up at him. "I actually have copies of the full police reports as well as the lawsuit filings."

He nodded. "There's more in there, just some background on the agency and things I was able to come up with on my own."

He pulled a drawer open and pulled out a file, "This is everything that CID has on our search for Aimee."

Liv took it from his outstretched hand and thumbed through it.

"I figured you might see something I missed and didn't put in the one Casey gave you."

She nodded. "Thank you. It's good to have the original information. Hopefully, I can come up with some leads."

He nodded in that pure poker face of his. She closed the files and tucked them under her arm. "My friend at the FBI thinks he has a way to get Casey's picture run through Facial Recog. He's just waiting for the test date."

"If there's anything I can do to help."

Liv held up her hand, "He's gay and likes them older than he is so I would steer clear. Let me handle it, please."

His eyes focused on her, and Liv felt like she was being examined, again. Finally he nodded once. "Keep me informed on your progress."

The corner of Liv's mouth tipped up. "You got it." She turned to leave, but before she got to the door.

I've never seen Casey smile the way she does at you." He rumbled. "Keep it there, Olivia."

She smiled at him and nodded. "My pleasure, sir."

As she left he let go a tight lipped smile. "Don't call me, sir." He said to the empty room.

 ** _Back in the Swing_**

 **Tuesday July 6, 2004**

 **SVU Bullpen**

"So how'd it go?"

With a smile on her face, Olivia put her purse inside her locker as Elliot crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall.

"It went okay." She closed her locker and pulled the message slips that had accumulated over the weekend.

Elliot arched his eyebrows, "Just okay?"

She looked up at him. "It was nice and we had a lot of fun. What's with the questions. You don't normally pry like this."

He shook his head with a grin, "Well, you were nervous about going down there so I was wondering how it went."

Tipping her head towards their desks, Liv's smile got wider as they headed that way. "Well, there was some initial resistance, but thanks to Casey, her brother Denis, and his girlfriend Becky, it didn't take long to get past it. By the time we were watching the fireworks, it almost felt like I belonged."

He smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "That's good. It's nice to see you happy again."

She was about to say something smart when Cragen shouted out their names. "I hope you enjoyed your weekend 'cause we're starting off the week with a bad one." He handed Stabler the slip. "The three - four sent us a double rape in Hudson Heights, Munch and Fin are on the way to the scene and your vics are in a bus to Columbia as we speak." He sighed heavily and looked to Liv. "Their sisters, age fifteen and seventeen, perp did a real number on them."

"So much for the afterglow of my vacation." She said as Elliot grabbed his suit jacket.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Finished rebuilding the cut. its all the same just placed properly.**

* * *

 **Resurrected**

Sheer desperation roared through Casey like a hurricane. She had been given the greatest gift she could possibly ask for, a chance at putting away the man who murdered Alex Cabot. When Elliot told her that they'd captured him, her heart had done somersaults. She would put Liam Connors in prison, not just for Alex, but for Olivia too. Then, maybe, her lover could finally make peace with the loss of her old flame. The last few months had been hard on Casey, especially after discovering the Prada shoe box beneath her lover's bed with Alex's things in it. Being with Olivia meant that Alex's ghost was always with her. She had this one chance to put him away for life. A chance that was slipping away over 15 lousy minutes.

Standing in the courtroom she spun around and looked directly at Olivia and Elliot.

"Arrest him." She said quickly.

Elliot stared open mouthed at her, What are you doing, Casey?

Olivia's eyes went wide as she realized what her girlfriend was about to do.

 _NO!_ The thought was sharp and cut her like a knife. She couldn't even speak before Casey had turned back to Judge Lois Preston.

For Alex and for Olivia I can't let him go! "Your honor, my detectives are here to re-arrest the defendant."

His lawyer furrowed his brow, "On what charges?" He asked incredulously.

Not backing down even an inch she stared directly at the redheaded judge, "The murder of Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot."

Immediately Kressler started spouting off about blatant attempts to detain Connors.

Preston glared straight at him, "Save it counselor. Alex Cabot was a friend of mine." She looked to Casey, "I'll see you both at arraignment."

Something strange crossed Elliots face as Casey watched him handcuff Connors again. If she didn't know him better she'd say it was reluctance. But, that just wasn't Elliot.

* * *

At first there was disbelief as DEA Special Agent Jack Hammond told her that Alex was alive and would be testifying against Connors, then there was anger as she realized that Elliot and Olivia both knew that she was alive. Suddenly not only was her case in jeopardy, but her relationship too. Alexandra Cabot, Olivia's first love, whom Casey thought was dead, was in fact alive and well. Every doubt about her relationship, every time she felt like she was standing in Alex's shadow was amplified twice over. She had always hidden her few insecurities away but they all came to the forefront as she left Branch's office and marched straight to her own.

Her head spinning with the very real possibility that she could loose the best thing that had ever happened to her, she kept her tears in check, albeit barely, as she entered her office. Her anger at being lied to by Olivia rolled forward and her tone took on a chill.

She looked at Elliot and then straight to her girlfriend, knowing that the Marshals could be there any second, she kept it professional. "We work together. You should have trusted me."

Knowing she'd pay for the lie later, all Liv could do was try to explain. But, in the time they'd been together, she knew the young ADA better than most. The pain in those green eyes caused her to avert her gaze briefly.

She took a breath and faced her lover, "We made a promise." She tried to convey her apology through eye contact, but Casey looked away as she headed around her desk. "You hung me out to dry in court."

Really not wanting to get in the middle of the argument that he was certain was coming, Elliot redirected the conversation.

"Are we going to need lawyers?"

Casey looked up at him as she gathered the files she needed for court. "I hope not." Her eyes shifted to the door. Both detectives turned to look, stunned to see Alex walking in with Agent Hammond.

Casey's gaze shifted to her lover and there was no missing the affection there as her girlfriend caught sight of the blonde ADA. "Alex." She said in surprise.

Elliot had that slight opened mouthed smile as he shook his head, "You didn't have to come back."

With a crooked smile Alex tipped her head, "I know. But, who else is going to get you out of trouble?"

Casey again looked to Liv who smiled softly with a slight chuckle and looked to her partner. The happy and amused expression was starting to grate on Casey as her jealousy took a grip on her.

Her voice was sharper than she wanted it to be, but there was nothing to be done about it. "Before everyone gets reacquainted." She stalked around the desk and headed for the door, "They're waiting for us in court."

Alex's eyes went wide as Casey brushed passed her. She turned to watch the pale redhead disappear in the hallway and looked back at the partners.

"She's really mad about this." She said softly. "Is this going to be a problem?"

Liv didn't say anything, but Elliot had to throw the former dead girl something or she'd just dig in. "Casey doesn't like being blindsided and finding out that you're alive kinda threw her." In more ways than one, he finished in his head.

Alex nodded, "I never liked surprises either."

Wait till you find out the other one. It was not something he wanted to be involved with, but as the only one besides Huang who knew about Liv and Alex he had a feeling he'd have to be.

Olivia smiled, patted the blonde's shoulder, and walked out. The move was odd to Alex as there wasn't much of their old connection in the touch. Liv's firm hand lacked the gentle, but affectionate grip that she had missed over the last year. Something had changed between them. She didn't have anytime to think about it as Hammond and Elliot guided her out of the ADA's office.

As she lead the way to the courtroom Liv came up from behind her.

"Casey I'm sorry." She said in that girlfriend voice.

"You lied to me." Casey said, her anger seeping in.

"I had to." her lover replied.

Casey grumbled something and walked faster, Liv slowed her pace, knowing that there was nothing she could say to her lover right now. She only hoped that she wasn't still angry later.

 **Indignation**

Seeing Olivia's car parked outside of her apartment Casey was reminded about how her girlfriend had lied to her. Over a year she had worked damn near hand in hand with Elliot and Olivia. Eight months she had been sleeping with Liv, and six months of actually being emotionally involved in a relationship.

Casey pulled the brake handles gently, slowing her bike to a stop at the entrance to her building. Stepping off she picked it up by the frame and carried it up the steps. As she set it down in the hallway, memories of how she had embarrassed not just herself, but her entire unit as well as the police department when she had demanded Elliot and Olivia to arrest Liam Connors paraded through her head.

Angry at herself she jammed the key into the lock on her apartment and pushed her way in. She found Olivia sitting in her kitchen, waiting.

Casey didn't even acknowledge her as she flipped the kickstand and leaned her bike next to the door.

"Casey?"

She ignored that regretful tone.

"Casey." Liv tried again, "I'm sorry."

She set her messenger bag down and re-locked her door before walking towards the bedroom. She didn't say anything until Liv stood up to follow her.

"NO!" she shouted.

Liv paused, "Casey, I had to. I couldn't put you in that kind of danger."

"I KNOW!" she shouted, "I know you had to keep quiet! Professionally, I understand it." She tore her league shirt off as she marched into her bedroom, "But, goddamn it, that should have gone out the window anytime in the last six months. I get that you couldn't say anything then, but for Christ's sake, I've had to share you with her ghost for the last half year." Casey turned on her then, "It was hard enough competing with that, but now she's alive and what the fuck is going to happen when she comes back!?"

"Casey." Liv cooed as she tried to hold her girlfriend.

Casey pushed her away, "No! No, you don't get to take that girlfriend voice with me right now. I need a shower and you're on guard duty tonight with your dead girlfriend!"

Even though her heart ached from being shoved away, Liv took her by the shoulders, "You are my girlfriend."

Casey stopped fighting at those words.

"Casey." Liv said, "I'm with you and Alex isn't going to change the way I feel about you."

"And how do you feel about me?" She countered, "We've been together six months, sleeping together for eight and you still haven't said it. I say it to you all the time."

Liv dropped her hands, "I know, honey. But whenever I say it, it all goes wrong. That's why I don't say it to you, because I don't want to mess up the best thing that's ever happened to me. It doesn't mean I don't feel it."

"So you love me." She challenged.

Olivia answered without any hesitation, "You know I do."

Casey narrowed her eyes, not sure if she should believe Liv although she wanted to more than anything. Sadness crossed Liv's face before she turned to leave.

"If you love me, then prove it."

Liv paused at the door, "I can't say it, Casey."

"If you can't tell me, then show me." Liv took two steps towards her and Casey held up a hand, "No. Not like that."

"Then how?"

"Kiss me." She said simply, "Kiss me at SVU like you do when we're out together. Let's disclose our relationship and be together openly."

Liv arched an eyebrow, "You'd come out with me?"

"Yes." She stated, "I would, because I love you and I don't care who knows it. I don't care if I have to change jobs to be with you."

The debate of coming out had been an interesting argument among them. Liv didn't want to affect Casey's job by bringing their relationship out into the light of day and Casey was undecided because she wasn't as comfortable with the idea either. It was a debate because Liv was tired of constantly worrying someone would find out and just wanted to get it over with, but Casey came first in her mind.

"Casey, you better be sure that's what you want because that's one bell you can't unring."

"I know." She said softly. "But, I'm not afraid of telling everyone how I feel."

As a slow smile creased her lips as Casey stood there, confident that it was what she wanted Liv kept her excitement stifled. She'd wanted to do this for years, but she had always worried about Alex and her career, about Casey's comfort in her new found sexuality. She didn't want Casey to do this on a whim, but she was excited by being claimed by a woman. Openly, publicly. Although she wouldn't advertise it, she didn't want to hide it anymore. She wanted to talk to Elliot, Fin, and Munch about her dates with Casey, about the places she took the young ADA. Casey was a great woman and a hell of a catch and Liv just wanted her friends to know and be happy for her.

"Come by the house when you're ready." Liv felt like her heart was in her throat. "I'll be right there with you."

"Okay." Her heart racing she slipped out of her bra and shucked her pants on the floor, careful to leave the skimpy low cut frilly boy shorts on and with a seductive grin she walked towards the bathroom, "You coming?"

She turned on the water in her tub and soon found herself pressed against the wall of the shower with Liv's hands all over her and the brunette's lips doing the most amazing things to her earlobe.

 **Declaration**

Nodding to the Marshal, Casey shut the door to her office and looked back at Alex. She was starting to understand why everyone admired her so much. The way she handled Antonio was beautiful and her own experiences with O'Connor might be the thing to alleviate his fears and allow him to testify.

The nervous look on Alex's pretty features caused Casey to pause before she sat on the couch opposite the blonde woman. Casey was trying to do her best to keep her tormented swirling feelings locked away.

Alex blew out a breath of air and looked up at her, "We should keep preparing my testimony."

Her emotions riding her hard, she shook her head, "You know, we've gone over all of my questions, I think you're ready."

Sensing the turmoil from the younger woman Alex looked up again, "Are you?"

Her green eyes blazing and her lips parted, Casey just stared at her trying not to let her fears show.

The look told her that there was something other than the trial on her mind and Alex realized that she'd made a mistake. She closed her eyes realizing how that sounded. "Casey, I'm sorry. That was out of line."

"It's gotta be hard being on that side of the desk." She said.

Alex nodded with a nervous smile, the gesture was cute and Casey looked away. "If Antonio doesn't testify, we're screwed."

Glacier blue eyes met emerald green. "I know." She said without flinching.

Casey refused to look away first causing Alex to furrow her brow. "What?"

"There's something else you should know." The redhead said slowly.

Alex could feel the hostility in those green eyes, "What's that?"

"I'm involved with Olivia." She said simply.

Alex's eyes widened to the point where Casey was convinced they'd fall out.

"Wha-Why would you need to tell me?" She asked breathlessly. Stunned to the core of her being.

"Because I know about you." She replied. "I figured out about a week after she came out to me that you were the one she was mourning. Later on, Kathy told me about how you came out to them and she told me that you did it to save their marriage. She spoke very highly of you and it was when I learned that I'd have to share her with your ghost as it were."

Her mouth hanging open, Alex stared.

Casey rose up to her feet and went to her desk. "I had my Awakening by accident one night after Liv came out to me." She pulled open the bottom drawer and pulled out a small envelope. "See the thing is that I'm not really a full on bi-girl. Liv is the only woman who's ever made me want a woman. Even now, I still look at women thinking 'oh, she's pretty' or 'wow, that outfit shows off her figure'. With Olivia its always, 'can we find a way to get out of here so I can tear your clothes off?'"

She went back to where Alex sat in complete shock. "I'm a onesie. But to be clear, I'm Liv's onesie. Do you know what that means?"

Still frozen solid, Alex could do nothing, but watch the ADA as she sat back down on the small couch.

"It means that in all likelihood, Olivia will be the only woman that I'm ever attracted to and I'm perfectly fine with that because all I truly care about is her happiness."

Casey held up the envelope, "It's one thing to not broadcast that you're gay, it's another to have to hide it at every turn. I know she hates doing it. I know why she did it for you and why she does it for me, but I don't care. Her happiness is all I care about so I'm going to come out to the SVU and to the DA and I'm going to do it because I love her and I don't want to see her hurting anymore."

She pressed the envelope to Alex's hands who took it mechanically.

Casey's face turned from a hardened shell to a softer expression, "Alex, I don't want to hurt you and I know this is a shock, and I'm sorry for doing this, but I needed to get that out before I try this case."

Alex blinked several times, her expression was completely devoid of any emotion, but her eyes revealed the turmoil inside.

Casey stood up slowly. "I'll let the Marshals know you're ready to go to wherever they're keeping you."

She turned to go, but Alex caught her hand, "Casey, why are you telling me all of this?"

"Discovery, Counselor." Casey said and patted Alex's hand, "I just felt like you should know that I won't give her up without one hell of a fight."

With the verdict on Liam Connors returned Casey felt much better as she and Elliot walked towards her office. Her heart soared at being victorious.

"Guilty on all counts." Casey said as she carried the cake with Elliot right beside her,

He patted her on the shoulder, "I never doubted it would be anything else."

Liv carried in two bottles of champagne, "Let's get this party started." She handed one over to the narcotics detective that they had been working with.

He smiled wide, "Now that's what I'm talking about."

Cragen looked right at Olivia, "Alex knew just how to push Connors buttons."

"She's a great prosecutor." Liv replied casually.

"And you gave her the ammunition."

Liv looked up at her commander.

"Oh don't let me drink too much, " Casey said to Elliot. "Penalty phase starts first thing in the morning."

"Oh come on," he said "it's a slam dunk. Live a little tonight."

They heard footsteps walking towards the office. Elliot grinned, "It's her, is that her?" They all turned to cheer Alex as she walked in.

Hammond opened the door in a hurry and stepped in.

Liv looked behind him and back to the DEA Agent. "Where's Alex."

"Marshals are moving her and Antonio to new identities." He said regretfully. "She asked me to say goodbye."

They all stood in silence.

 _ **The Night Alex Disappeared, Again...**_

 **Apartment of Olivia Benson**

 **February 25, 2005 10:30 PM**

Casey felt like crap as she climbed out of the cab and rushed through the late snow up to the entrance of Olivia's building. She shoved her key into the lock and pushed her way inside. Once inside she shook off the cold and smiled at the couple who came out of the stair well. As typical of New York, they went passed without a word and Casey climbed the steps to her girlfriend's apartment. She slipped her key in and turned the lock.

The apartment was dark with the only sliver of light cast on the floor coming from Liv's bedroom. From the lack of intensity, Casey knew that it was from the small lamp next to the bed. She slipped out of her coat and draped it over the back of the couch and set her purse next to it. She slipped out of her shoes and padded softly to the room. She was about there when Liv whimpered softly. She paused at the door and peered inside.

Liv sat with her back to the door on her bed, facing the light. An off white Prada shoe box sat to one side and a fifth of vodka in one hand.

Casey didn't have to be told what was in the shoebox. It was the personal effects that Alex had left behind when she went into witness protection. She'd discovered it stored beneath the brunette's bed by accident when she was searching for her keys one morning. Casey felt her heart breaking as she watched Liv crying over Alex.

 _It was hard enough living with her ghost. How can I be with her knowing that Alex is still out there?_

Liv's body slumped as another quiet sob escaped her. More than anything, casey wanted to go in, but she couldn't. Even if she could, she wouldn't because Liv never allowed her to see this particular side of her. Casey closed her eyes on regret that she wasn't good enough to keep Liv's heart and turned away.

"Please," Liv whispered softly, "please don't leave me."

Her heart tearing to shreds Casey grabbed her purse, her shoes, and her coat, and rushed quietly to the door before her own sobs could get out. Standing in the building's hallway she slipped on her shoes and moved to close the door. A hand caught it and Liv looked out at her, streaks of moisture still running down her oval face.

"Casey." She said.

"No, I get it." She whimpered.

"Please." She stretched her arm out. "Casey, don't leave me, please. I need you."

"Do you?" She spat with far more venom than she intended. "Or do you just miss _her?_ "

Liv pause in disbelief at Casey's anger. At how she'd already told Casey that she was with the redhead, not Alex, yet her girlfriend was still angry.

Hurt beyond measure that Casey would say something like that. Like it was easy to be in love with two people, one who would never again be seen. Like it was easy to push aside what she felt for Alex to make room for what she felt for Casey. For feeling guilty for loving Casey and betraying her promise to always love Alex. For finally going through that damn box under her bed and saying goodbye to Alex.

Washed in a new wave of pain that crashed against her walls, Liv focused on shielding herself. The foolish part that had held out hope that Alex would come back one day and they could finally be together had changed over the last year. It now wanted Casey more.

It was from that small, hope filled place that the words spilled out, "I need you because I love you."

Still hurt by Casey's suspicions, She pulled herself inside and shut the door leaving casey standing there, lost in confusion.

 _"I won't give her up without a fight."_ Those words she'd spoken with such conviction to Alex just one day before echoed in her head.

 _You told her, Casey. Now it's time to prove it._ She thought and braced herself before going back inside Liv's apartment. A rift had formed between them over Alex and Casey was determined to close it permanently and reclaim her lover from both Alex and her ghost.

 **A/N: next will be Finding Aimee.**


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N: Fixed the cut. much better**_

* * *

 _ **Two months later...**_

 **Sing Sing State Prison**

 **Ossining, NY**

"Yeah nice job in there Elliot. Way to get him to cooperate." Liv barked as she followed her partner down the fence line towards the visitors parking lot. Her irritation at his heavy handed interrogation techniques had just about hit her boiling point as they stormed out of the prison. Elliot thought he knew best and, as usual, had no trouble letting her know it.

"Hey, that pervert wasn't about to cop to something that will get a needle in his arm no matter what we said to him." Elliot shouted as he kept walking, "Coming up here was a waste of time from the beginning."

It was the same argument that they've had for years and just like every other time, Liv didn't back down.

"Right, but if you wouldn't have gone after him so hard," Liv barked as her cell phone started to ring, "he might have slipped up and said something that could lead us to the victim's body." She jerked the phone out of her pocket and answered it without looking at the ID, "Benson."

She listened for a second and stopped in her tracks. Elliot, realizing that his partner wasn't following him, stopped to see her on the phone with an intense look of concentration on her face as she listened. He hoped that it was a break in the case.

"That's her cousin. Who else."

Definitely not, the conversation didn't have anything to do with the case. Suddenly his partner turned around and looked up at the prison.

"Sonofabitch. No, not you. You I owe big. Thanks." She slapped her phone closed and tossed the keys to her partner.

Confusion clouded his face as he caught the keys. "What's up?"

"I left something inside." She growled and headed back to the prison entry, but she did look over her shoulder at him. "Grab us some lunch and meet me back here in a half hour."

Considering how she felt about being inside, the fact that she hadn't asked him to go with her was a big concern to Elliot. Despite getting over his crush on her, more or less, she was his partner and maybe overly protective, just a little.

"Liv." He said and started after her, "Liv what's going on?"

"Something I need to do alone, Elliot." She said sharply, "Just let it go."

He stopped as she hit the buzzer for the entry gate. That tone she had was personal and it was one he knew well, back off.

 ** _Finding Aimee._**

Liv paced the floor of the meeting room like a caged animal, her mind spinning in a thousand directions, none of them good. Still her boots made thuds on the floor back and forth, back and forth, until the gate buzzer sounded and the heavy iron bars slid to the side. A female guard brought in the prisoner. The gate was latched and the guard guided the convict into a seat.

"Back again. Huh, Detective." The guard said, "This one was in solitary for attempting to strangle her cellmate in the shower."

"That's a lie." The woman said, indicating the bruises around her neck with her cuffed hands. "She wanted to know what all the hype was about."

Her cold emotionless eyes settled on Olivia. "Detective Benson, has something developed on my case?"

A sick feeling settled in her stomach as she stared into a face that was virtually identical to the one she'd woken up to this morning. The biggest difference being the signs of violence such as the black eye, split lip, and bruised jaw, things that she'd lose her badge over if it ever happen to Casey. But what truly twisted her up inside was the murderer was staring at her with Casey's green eyes. _Please let it be someone else._

It took everything she had to keep her fears out of her voice, "On your appeal? No. You're still here for another fifteen years."

"What a shame." The prisoner sighed, It's hard to find good company in here."

"For your kinks, I'll bet." Liv said and looked up at the guard, she didn't need a witness for this. "It's all right, you can leave."

The guard nodded and radioed the door opened.

After the guard left and the door locked closed Liv pulled a napkin out of her pocket and tossed it on the table.

"Thank you but I'm alright." Came the throaty voice.

"You don't look alright." Liv said as she leaned over to peer at the woman's bruises, "You look like you've been beaten half to death."

"Prison life." She shrugged, "What can I tell you that you don't already know?"

 _Best to get this over with._ "Not much, but I do need information from you."

She laughed with mock amusement, "I've been here for three years. What the hell could I tell you?"

Liv sat in front of her and steeled herself as she stared into those eyes, "Spit in the napkin and I'll have all the information I need."

The prisoner smirked through a cracked lip, "You want my DNA. Why?"

"A paternity test." Liv replied firmly.

The inmate did laugh then. "Given how I feel about the opposite sex is pretty well known around here, I'm sure it's just as well known that I've never been pregnant."

Straightening up and forcing herself to be stoic, Olivia continued to stare at a woman she begged inside wasn't Aimee."I'm not here for some child's paternity, I'm here for yours."

"And why would I want to know my paternity." She said, her voice cold and empty. "I'm too busy trying not to get knocked up here."

"You're in an all women's wing of a prison." Liv said in disbelief, "There's no one here to knock you up."

"Most of the penises here wear brown, not orange." Her face hardened with anger but then her features softened slightly. She'd thought of something. "But I'll tell you what. I'll give you your DNA, on one condition."

Liv sighed, she hated this game, "And that is?"

"Unzip my jumpsuit and let me collect it." She said firmly,"The cuffs make it hard to... you understand."

Shaking her head, Liv pointed at the napkin, "just spit."

"My way or no way, detective." She said with a smirk and when Liv didn't immediately reply, her smirk got bigger. "Thank's for dropping by. Its always nice to have a visitor."

Liv took latex gloves out of her pocket, sighed and stood, same as the prisoner. After sliding her hands into the blue rubber, she unzipped the front of the orange jumpsuit and held the tissue up in front of the inmates face. "If this comes back to bite me, I swear you'll stay here until you're dead." She put the tissue into the seriously troubled woman's hand.

The prisoner smirked again and shoved her cuffed hands deep into the jumpsuit. She sucked her breath sharply as her wrists grazed the elastic band of her underwear. Her stomach turned at the sight of the convicts clenched face, convinced she was pleasuring herself in some twisted game, until a pain laced moan escaped her mouth. A mere six seconds after her hands went to her body, she pulled the napkin out and visibly shook as she held the napkin up, "Don't forget to zip me up." she breathed harshly, "I'd hate for them to say you did something wrong, especially when I need you to get back at them."

Shocked at the sight of the red and clear fluids, Liv took the tissue in her gloved hand and pulled the blue latex around it. She flattened it on the table and tied the glove tight.

"I bet I just put four new cases on your desk." She groaned with a sick grin. "Now zip me before they catch us."

She didn't waste any time zipping up the suit and then Liv shoved the glove in her pants pocket.

"Honestly, I couldn't care less who actually made me." The inmate growled, "But, this is a way to get us both what we want."

The detective glared at the convict, "If your DNA says what I'm praying like hell it doesn't, you've been missed since your birth and you just got the best damned ally you could ever have short of the Governor."

"That will look real nice on my headstone when they find out what I've done," the woman sneered. "Don't let the bulls find it detective."

The buzzer sounded and a male guard came in, "Sorry, but the commander wants this one back on lockdown."

"Sorry, I couldn't help you detective." She said, again with that twisted grin. "Good luck on your case, I hope you find your missing child."

The guard hooded her and pulled her to her feet.

"What's with the hood?" Liv barked.

"This one likes to pick fights." He said "don't worry detective, we take it off when she's back in her cell." He leaned in to her, "don't we convict?"

Olivia watched as the guard hauled her away. Between the hood, the tone in his voice, and her insisting on giving a vaginal sample that obviously pained her to do, things inside Sing Sing were setting off her alarms. As she was waiting for the guards to escort her out the shift commander walked in.

"Did you get what you need, Detective?"

Liv looked up and her gut twisted. Something was wrong here and shed stupidity left her partner outside. His eyes bothered her. It was a prying look as if he was interrogating her.

"Afraid not." She said quickly. "But even when I put her in here she wasn't exactly cooperative."

He nodded, "I'm sorry about that, but there was a slight mix up here. She wasn't actually supposed to have visitors while in lockdown. She tried to strangle another inmate and then attacked a guard."

Liv frowned as he led her out of the room and back towards the guards area. "Really. I know she's here for murder, but she's never brutally attacked anyone." In full detective mode she kept her eyes and ears open, paying attention to every word he said.

"Then how did she commit murder?" He asked.

"Strangulation from the rear and she had help."

"Yeah, I get that. I guess the inside can change any one." He said. "Obviously we're going to have to search you again on the way out."

the convicts words echoed in her head. _" Most of the penises in here wear brown, not orange." "Don't let the bulls find it, Detective."_

Her mind spun in a multitude of possibilities. None of them good and her instincts were going wild. Ironically, the way the guards were setting off her alarms made her want to do what the felon said.

"Three searches in a day." Liv scoffed, as she discretely slipped the tied glove from her pocket and into the waistband of her pants. "C'mon, I was searched when I came in this morning, again when I came in here to see that one. Why do I need to be searched to leave." _And how am I going to get this out of here?_ She added in her head.

"Sorry, it's procedure." The guard said firmly and she didn't like the tiny crease in his lip. He intended to be thorough.

And with that thought an idea was born. She groaned heavily in false irritation,"Fine, but you better have a female guard and if she starts feeling me up again I'm pressing charges this time."

He visibly gulped. "Again?"

"Yeah," she said, "I got groped by a female guard right here, last month. Turns out she was batting for the other team and gets her jollies feeling up on some boobs. Now I know I got a nice set, but my boyfriend doesn't like some stranger feeling them up anymore than I do. Since he's a sexual harassment lawyer he tends to make a stink of things like that."

That slight smirk fell and his jaw muscle hardened briefly. "Okay then we can just have you empty your pockets and wand you out. Fair enough?"

She nodded as he led the way out. There was something very wrong with this whole thing and even though she detested that twisted woman, she'd get to the bottom of this. Whether she was Aimee or not.

 _ **Needing Proof**_

 **Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.**

Melinda Warner peered through her microscope and concentrated on figuring out exactly what was in the body fluid sample her friend had brought her. "Semen in four or five different stages of decay. Some are still motial."

Liv sighed, "That's what she meant by getting back at them. Anything from a female source?"

Melinda looked up to Olivia. "There are definitely vaginal secretions but I'll have to type the blood to determine if it's female. Just on first glance I'd say who ever this woman is, she had sex; a lot of it and it appears to have been rough."

Liv glanced around checking for anyone else in hearing range and leaned over the table, "I need you do run the DNA on a blind sample against this."

She held up an evidence bag with three red hairs inside roots still connected.

"No problem." Melinda reached into a drawer and pulled out a test log.

Liv covered her hand. "I need it without any paperwork."

"Liv," Melinda said as she leaned back, "I can't be doing favors like this if there's a crime involved."

"I'm not telling you to do that." She replied to her dark skinned friend, "Yes, there may be a crime here, but before I can go after it, I need these samples compared. Both female, but it has to be done blind. Nothing on CODIS."

"Why?" She asked,

"The hairs came from a different they're the same, I need to let someone in the DA's office know that first. I personally witnessed both samples taken but if they're the same DNA then I can close a missing person's case and I need to do that Melinda. Please."

"Two different people but the same DNA?" Melinda crossed her arms, "you're missing person is a twin?"

There was a sad ache in Liv's eyes as she nodded to her friend.

"All you need is a blind study for your twins?" She pointed at the hairs.

"Yes," Liv said.

"Then I can run all the DNA in here for typing and i take it you know the victim?"

"I do, and if she's the same one as my cold case then this is where it can end."

She thought about it. Pacing a few steps. Her head down, her left hand cupping her chin while her right rested on her hip. After a full minute she looked back at the detective.

"Okay." Melinda finally sighed, "I'll blind type both of these female samples, then while the test is running I'll go back and pull all the male samples I can before going back to typing the female. It will buy you maybe a few hours."

Liv smiled, "That's all I need."

"Don't get my lab in trouble Liv." She warned.

"No trouble, I swear it."

 _ **Notifications.**_

 **Apartment of Casey Novak.**

Rain poured down onto the windshield giving the city a morose appearance, a mood duplicated by the detective who had been sitting in the car for the last fifteen minutes going over the last few days in her head. Olivia didn't even know how to tell her girlfriend what she'd found.

The police file that she held in her hand felt like a lead weight with its case history, evidence, forensic reports, and her own notes as well as Melinda's blind DNA study results. Regretfully, she couldn't delay it anymore. Sighing heavily. Olivia bundled up her trenchcoat and climbed out of the car. The rain pelted her hard as she fobbed the car locked and rushed into the building lobby.

The search for Aimee Novak was over and the joy filled reunion would not take place. The truth was almost worse than not knowing but maybe the truth could help Casey and her family heal the hole that had been left in their hearts for the missing sibling. Truthfully, It was as bittersweet a victory as any Olivia had ever seen.

As she reached Casey's apartment, she thought about turning around, of walking away, burying the file and forgetting all about it. It would certainly be better for their relationship. That is until Casey found out on her own. Then, it would be far worse, particularly when she found out who prosecuted her sister.

 _Why the hell couldn't it have been Abbie Carmichael?_

Because that would have been easier and her life had never been easy.

Shaking off the rain, she pulled her keys out of her pocket and slid the one Casey had given her into the lock.

 _One twist and you bring closure and heartbreak, she thought to herself._

She really, really didn't want to do this. But she loved Casey, and there was no way she couldn't tell her what she'd found. Taking a deep breath, Liv twisted the lock and walked in.

Immediately, the scent of good New York pizza assailed her nose. The kitchen table held the partly opened box from Louie's with a half filled glass of coke nearby. Casey stood holding her bat, rehearsing her trial argument.

It was what she did when she had a hard sell in front of her. She looked over at Liv and smiled as she continued to argue with no one.

Liv closed the door, relocked it and pulled off her trench coat. Wishing for all she was worth that there was another way.

She remained at the door, watching her lover practice her craft before she went into court, but on Casey's closing, the redhead stopped as she realized that Liv hadn't moved.

Pausing she looked at her with a frown and realized that there was something seriously wrong.

"Liv," She said nervously, "Honey, what's wrong?"

Liv looked at her girlfriend and did what she could to keep her cool. "Honey, I think you'd better sit down."

Casey turned her head to the side, "Liv you're scaring me."

She walked in and took her girlfriend's hands, "Casey, you really want to take this sitting down."

Casey sat down on the couch, "They know about us. Don't they." Going to the natural assumption that 1PP or Branch had figured out their relationship.

"No baby." She said, "No one knows. But there is something that I have to tell you and it's going to hurt but I'll be with you every step of it, okay?"

"Liv stop scaring me and tell me what's going on." Casey pleaded.

With no recourse left, Liv went back to her coat and pulled out the file. "Casey I really don't know how to tell you this but I found Aimee."

Her girlfriend's face lit up like a supernova for an instant and then fell, "Then why are you so solemn."

"Because it turns out that I've met her before." She held up the file, "I put her away for murder."

Casey eyes widened to the point of saucers. "You!?"

"Casey I didn't know. It was years ago." Liv said with pain in her voice, "If I did I would have told you."

Casey took the file with shaky hands, "My sister is a murderer?"

"You should read it for yourself." Liv replied.

Casey's hands started shaking violently before she clenched them tight and after a minute, she opened the file. Liv stood perfectly still as Casey's eyes darted over the pages. After the autopsy photos, she read the ME's report, Melinda's addendum, and then the results of the search of the suspect's apartment.

So many emotions passed over her face so quickly, Liv only caught a few. Anguish, sadness, puzzlement, disbelief and finally, anger.

"NO!" She flung the file as far as she could away from her, sending it flying into the kitchen where it exploded in white pages.

"Casey." Liv said as she reached to hold her, "I'm so-"

"Don't touch me!" Anger poured through every word and Liv froze. "I can't believe you!"

Stunned at the sheer rage, Olivia gasped, "Casey."

"Of all of the people!" She screamed.

"I'm sorry." Liv tried to reach for her again but Casey shoved her away.

"Get out."

The words were sharp as razors and Liv felt them cut her to her soul. Frozen in shock, she hadn't moved.

"Get out, right now! I mean it Liv," her anger riding her hard, Casey gripped the bat with white knuckles. "GET OUT RIGHT NOW OR GOD HELP ME!"

She couldn't keep her grief from her voice though she tried, it quivered, "Okay, honey. but if you need me-"

"You've done enough, both of you. Just get out!" She growled.

Liv felt the hot lines of her tears run down her cheek as she collected her coat and walked out the door. Again, Casey was lashing out over Alex but she knew that under the rage was pain, a pain that seared Liv's heart. Alex was a sensitive nerve for Casey ever since the Connors trial. Add that to Aimee and her past, all Liv wanted to do was console Casey, but she'd seen this kind of thing from her before. All she could do was leave. Leave and let Casey come to terms with her pain.

As she left she heard Casey's agonizing cry and wished that she could just hold Casey, so her love wouldn't have to go through this alone. But that wasn't what her lover wanted and Olivia's walls went up a little higher.


	16. Chapter 16

**_Reassurance._**

Casey had called in sick for the last three days, three days of Liz Donnelly doing her job. She didn't return her calls or even Elliot's and Liv felt like shit. Honestly, she was tempted to call in herself, but there was no point. Casey didn't want to see her so Liv just kept working, though her mind wasn't in it. It wasn't until Cragen called her into his office that Liv realized that she'd done nothing all day.

"Liv, my office." he'd shouted.

She'd jerked from her near comatose state and rose slowly, trudging her way to her boss's open door.

As she walked in Cragen glared at her, "Now I don't know exactly what's going on, but whatever it is, you'd better fix it and I mean yesterday." He turned and walked out of his office, slamming the door in his wake.

Liv was confused until she turned around and saw Tom Novak, in full military camouflage, staring into the interview room, his black beret in his hands which were cupped behind his back.

"The view isn't as good here as the house. But, I imagine that's the price you pay in the city."

She sighed and put her hand over her forehead, "How's Casey?"

"Distraught, hurt, feeling betrayed." he said. "I've seen the file and read both you and your partner's statements, as well as all the transcripts. I know what happened." He turned to look over his shoulder, "You did your job, Olivia." He turned back to look at Munch and Fin talking to a woman in the room, "It's not an easy thing to do, and you had the advantage of not knowing the circumstances of Aimee's past when it happened."

"I couldn't have." She said.

"I know." he said knowingly, "The thing that stands you apart is that you take on something and you run it right to ground." he sighed and his shoulders slumped, "Like finding Aimee."

He turned around then and sat down in the chair next to Cragen's desk. "The bitch of it is, you could have turned around when you found something, but you didn't. You carried it through right to the end. Not many would have the courage once it came to light." He sighed and bowed his head. "Twenty-eight years I've been looking for my daughter and now I know exactly where she is."

"I'm so sorry, Tom." She said sadly.

"Don't be." he rumbled, "The blame isn't yours to carry."

She sat down facing him. "I was hoping this would end with better news."

"So was I." His deep voice had more emotion then Liv had ever heard from him as his eyes met hers, "Thank you for finding her."

Tom rose up to his full height and rested a hand on her shoulder. "She loves you. That's why it hurts so much."

He started to walk out when Liv caught his hand, "When you see her, tell her…"

Her voice trailed off, but he knew what she ment.

"I will, but you should tell her yourself one day." He paused as he opened the door and looked down at her. "Who's going to be investigating her case?"

"New York State police." She said, "Sing Sing is their jurisdiction."

"I feel the need to hire an independent investigator, any chance you can do the job?"

She looked up at him, "Moonlighting is against department policy."

He nodded and a hint of a grin creased one side of his lip, "Then I guess I'd better find a different way to get you in."

Novak walked out of the office, leaving Liv still feeling like shit, just not quite so wet.

 _ **Coming to Terms.**_

Once again she was dragged from her cell, cuffed and marched through the corridors. She was shoved through the doors and deposited at the table. But this time the guards shackled her to the table, like she was some violent psycho. Granted prison life really was hard time, but she was the recipient more than the aggressor.

 _Men._ She thought to herself. _They just can't stand it when a woman shows herself to be better than them._

The buzzer sounded and the steel barred gate opened in front of her. A man in a military uniform walked in. Tall, proud, a man who was in complete control of himself and his environment. She hated him instantly.

He stopped inside the room and stared at her. His hands clasped behind his back, boots bright and shiny, some heavy rank on his collar, three Chevrons, three Rockers, and a diamond in the middle. His more salt than pepper hair neatly cut in military fashion. But it was his sea blue eyes that never wavered. He knew pain, he'd faced death, and he'd lived.

A voice similar to her own echoed behind him.

"I don't give a damn whose jurisdiction it is. If you ever expect any cooperation from the Manhattan DA's office you'll give me daily updates on her and her case."

The woman came through the gate and walked around the man and for the first time in a long time, she was stunned speechless. With the same height, build, and to her amazement, the same face. The only difference she could see was the auburn red hair.

The redhead came over to her and looked closely.

She turned back to the guards. "Get a medic in here now!" She shouted coldly. "Right now. Before I start filing charges, starting with denying an inmate medical care."

The soldier stepped forward and put a hand on the redhead's pinstriped suit. "Casey."

"Look at her!" She waved her hand at the inmate's face. "No one is going to tell me they didn't know. I swear to God I'll have the warden up on charges."

"Who are you?" The inmate asked, finally finding her voice.

The redhead looked at her with the same green eyes she had, but it was the man who spoke and his low voice reverberated throughout the room. "She's your twin sister, Casey."

The prisoner jerked as if slapped.

Casey sat down next to her, regaining some control, "We've been looking for you all of your life."

She turned to the soldier who sat down across from her, hands clasped together.

"Your birth name is Aimee Lynn Novak. You were born to Lindsay Russell at Saint Margaret's hospital in Richmond Virginia. My name is Tom Novak, I'm your father."

She scoffed at him. "My father. Nice try."

Casey put a hand on the shoulder, "He's not lying to you."

The prisoner jerked out from under Casey's hand, "Look. I don't know what kind of game you're playing at, but I want my lawyer."

"Aimee." She said.

"That's not my name!" She shouted. "Don't call me that! My name is Amelia."

The buzzer sounded again and the gate opened. In walked another man in a suit followed by Olivia Benson.

The prisoner glared. "What kind of game are you running here?"

Liv held her hands up. "I told you I was here for a paternity test. That's what happened. You brought the rest."

"You were supposed to investigate!" She shouted, "Instead I get manhandled and mocked by some pig from the State Police."

"It wasn't Detective Benson's jurisdiction." The white haired man said. "I'm James Buckmore. I'm the prosecutor for your case."

"I'm surprised the State Police are pursuing it." She grumbled.

"Their not." He said and glared at the detective. "But Manhattan SVU has provided physical evidence and I've had no less than three representatives from the Department of the Army demanding justice for a soldier's family. Apparently Sergeant Novak knows what buttons to push."

Casey glared at him. "That's _First_ Sergeant Novak." She turned back to Aimee. "And I'll be watching him every second to make sure he does it right."

"Again who are you?" She barked angrily.

"She's a prosecutor." Liv said. "Mine actually."

"What happened to that blonde bitch who gave me the bad deal?"

Liv glared, but Casey stepped in. "ADA Cabot was shot right in front of Detective Benson so I wouldn't push that subject again."

She looked up to the detective. "Sorry to hear it."

Liv wanted to wipe that smirk off her face but restrained herself.

"Explain the paternity." She said harshly to the detective.

"You gave me the sample." Liv leaned against the block wall in that way only a cop can do. "I had the crime lab compare it to Casey's DNA and it's a perfect match. She's your identical twin. Casey's paternity with Tom was confirmed years ago, that makes him your biological father."

Aimee leaned back against her chains and glared at the soldier. "Do you know what I went through growing up because of you?"

"There will be plenty of time for that." Buckmore interrupted. "Right now I need to inform you that aside from questionable DNA evidence, it's going to be difficult to pursue a case against the guards that allegedly attacked you."

Casey glared at him. "Hey. How about focusing on getting her out of here first."

He looked at her. "An accusation of rape is not enough to release a convict from prison."

"And no one is suggesting that." Casey barked. "But moving her out of Sing Sing and away from retaliation? That should be your priority."

"And what makes you think she's in danger of retaliation?"

"Look at her face, you ass wipe!" She shouted.

"Casey!" Her father barked. "Stand down and do it right!"

Casey calmed and looked at her sister before pulling a stack of papers out of her briefcase. "Here. I want her in the prison ward of Bellevue Hospital for a full examination and rape kit before the day is out. I've already arranged transport with the DOC. And just so I know nothing happens, Detectives Munch and Fin from SVU will ride with her to make sure she arrives in the exact same condition."

He looked at the brief. "You don't have the authority to do this and I don't need some out of town prosecutor to tell me how to do my job."

Tom chose that moment to lean into his face. "Then do your job." He said in that menacing commanding tone. "And get my daughter the medical care she needs. Am I Clear?"

Buckmore swallowed. "I'll get this over to the DA."

"Good." He rumbled, "Let the guards know that Detective Benson and ADA Novak will remain here with the prisoner until transport arrives on your way out."

He nodded and got up. "Guards!"

A moment later he left.

Aimee glared at him, resenting the authority he just leveled at a man who damn near wet his pants. Authority he didn't actually have.

Casey smiled warmly at him. "Thanks Daddy."

He nodded and looked back at Aimee. "I'm sorry." He sighed and sat back down. "I didn't know you or Casey were born for almost a month. Your mother put you both up for adoption in the hospital."

"What kind of bastard were you that she did that, I wonder." Aimee sneered.

"I was a soldier. I had a drunken one night stand with a waitress half my age back when that was looked down upon. She never told me, she just went back to Richmond."

Aimee snorted. "Then how did you get her." She indicated Casey.

"Three weeks after she was adopted the couple got pregnant, the agency couldn't get a hold of Lindsay so they called me." He looked at her. "Once they told me that Lindsay had two girls and she listed me as the father, I made arrangements to bring you both home."

"Well obviously I didn't make it." She grumbled.

"No." He said sadly. "Whoever took you falsified their history and background. I tried everything to find you for the last 29 years including shutting down the adoption agency."

"And while you were looking so diligently for me. I was here being used as a fuckhole by any cock in the area."

Casey's tears ran down her face. "Aimee, I'm so sorry."

"Don't call me that!" She shouted again. "I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not Aimee Lynn Novak! I didn't have your life. I didn't get your choices. But I made mine and I don't regret a fucking thing I've done because I am who I am and what I've become was my choice! No one else's. Especially not some egotistical prick with a fucking superiority complex who needs to beat and and rape women to get off."

"No. You rape men." Liv said.

"Just deserts for assholes who expect us to bend over and take it when they need a boost to their egos." She glared at the detective. "Don't tell me that it doesn't make you feel like a whore when he pins you face down on the bed and hammers into you from behind. Don't tell me that you don't feel more empowered when he's on his back and you ride him like a fucking woman should."

"Stop talking to her like that." Tom said sharply.

Aimee glared at him. "Or what, you going to bend me over this table, pull down my pants and spank me like a good daddy right before you fuck my ass?"

Tom stood up and leaned right over the table. His face inches from hers, staring unblinkingly into her eyes, "Listen up, right now. In the whole of your life, I will never touch you like that and I'll break the hand of anyone who tries. I'm sorry about what happened to you, but so long as I live, no one will ever do that to you again without suffering the full measure of my wrath. That is my promise to you."

"Some promise." She sneered unflinchingly in his face, "I've heard it before."

"But, you've never heard it from me." He growled. "You'll find out that I don't bullshit, I don't play games. I say exactly what I mean and I do exactly what I say."

The buzzer sounded and two guards came in. "Excuse us, but the prisoner is due back in confinement."

Aimee's gaze shifted and her eyes widened. Her pupils dilated and her breath caught at the sight of the two men. Tom watched the reaction and felt all of his combat reflexes tighten. Aimee was afraid. No, not afraid. She was terrified.

He turned to see the two male guards. Dressed in the same DOC uniforms as everyone else, their names were stamped into the name plates.

Day and Pierce.

"Not going to happen." Casey shook her head. "The prisoner stays here with us awaiting transport."

Pierce met her stare with his own. "We've come to take her back to her cell where a medic will tend her. A medic you requested."

Liv straightened from where she was leaning against the wall. Her instincts snapping a warning at her. "Bring the medic in here."

"Fraid that's not possible." Day said. "The medic is on her block today."

Casey stood up. "If the medic is on her block then that's not the medic requested."

"Look our instructions are to put her back in her cell for the medic and that's what we're doing." Day's voice got hard.

Tom stepped between them and Aimee. "She's not going anywhere with you." His voice had a dangerous edge that Liv didn't like. One that only added to the tension Liv felt building.

Casey moved closer to her sister. "I've got a signed court order for transport of this inmate to Bellevue for medical and forensic examination. Until that transport arrives, she stays here, in full view for chain of evidence."

The guards looked at each other and nodded. The one in charge, Pierce, looked sternly at them. "Sorry, your time's up. She goes back to her cell. Don't make us use force."

"Any time you feel big enough, boy." Tom growled, "Make a move."

Two more guards, Baldwin and Hughes, came in from the prisoner's side of the room.

Seeing Casey putting herself over her sister, Liv moved to protect them.

"NYPD." She cautioned. "Back off."

"We're all on the same side here, Detective." Hughes said.

"It doesn't have to go this way." Baldwin's tense shoulders tipped off the Detective that this was about to get ugly.

"You try and take this prisoner out of this room and you'll make it go that way." She warned.

"We're just doing our jobs." Hughes gripped his baton.

"And I'm doing mine." She said harshly. "Protecting the victim."

The guards near Tom split apart and pulled out their batons. "Step aside old man. We don't want to hurt you."

"You come near my daughter again and you'll get hurt." He rumbled. "Stand down gentlemen, that's an order."

Aimee looked around at the faces, the names. She knew this was about to go bad, very bad. Though she hated Benson and the soldier, she knew what would happen if she went back there with the guards. It would be a death sentence.

"Detective Benson?" Her voice shook with terror, "These are the men who raped me in here."

"Casey?" Liv shouted.

"I heard it." She replied. "Do what you have to!"

The guards converged on them.

Tom stomped a foot out on the floor and startled Day, who jerked and swung his baton at him.

The old man caught the guard's arm and jerked him closer before driving his elbow onto his armpit. Tom pulled back and followed with a knee into his diaphragm. Day dropped the baton and fell gasping for air. It all happened before Pierce could do anything about it. He rushed at Tom who swung his combat booted foot out and connected with the guards sternum. Tom stepped out of the way as Pierce fell into his buddy.

He looked to his daughters and saw Liv holding Baldwin back and Casey trying to slap Hughes who was trying to get a grip on Aimee. As Pierce started to get up Tom kicked him in the ribs hearing a sharp satisfying crack before he grabbed Hughes and dragged him over them and the table. He put the guard in a headlock and punched him in the face twice before dropping him and delivering a kick to the head.

"Liv!"

Casey's panicked shout jerked Tom's attention. He watched Olivia fall unconscious on the floor, a smear of blood on her head.

Tom's eyes saw red and he jumped up onto the table as Baldwin raised his baton to hit Casey. The swing was never finished as the old war hero leapt straight for the guard. Tom took the blow in his left shoulder and felt something snap as pain exploded in his chest, but he drove the guard back. Ignoring his injury Tom pushed until they collided with the cement wall. The guard, stunned from the impact never saw Tom headbutt him with enough force that Baldwin's head bounced off the block wall. Tom pulled his arm back and cracked him in the jaw. Baldwin crumpled to the floor. Quickly, Tom glanced around for threats. Nothing immediate stood out so he jerked the guard's keys off the belt and made sure he didn't have anything else. "Casey, check Olivia!"

She didn't hesitate as she went to her knees next to the detective. "Liv? sweetie?"

Tom rolled the guard onto his stomach and cuffed him. Despite the intense pain in his shoulder he made quick work of the other three guards. Each one lying on their chest and cuffed behind their backs. He quickly kicked all the batons into the corner away from them all and dumped all four sets of keys there too.

After that he called out, "How is she doing?"

"She's bleeding." Casey cried out in a panicked voice. "Daddy, do something."

Tom struggled to kneel next to Liv, but he managed, "Check your sister." He said as he rolled Liv onto her back.

"Daddy!" Casey said near hysterical.

He grabbed her arm, "Casey. Go check on your sister."

"I'm okay." Aimee called out.

"Now!" He barked.

Casey nodded, got up and went to Aimee.

Tom checked Liv's breathing and her pulse. Then he felt the bump on her head that the guard Baldwin had given her with a glancing blow. The bump pressed outward and Tom nodded. "She's just out."

A prison alarm sounded and the two gates finally closed. Tom looked around and sighed, "Casey, I hope you have some legal blather that's going to get us out of this."

She nodded to her father still worried about Olivia. "I got some." She put a concerned hand on Aimee. "She gave it to me."

* * *

When Munch and Fin pulled up in the NYPD prisoner transport at Sing Sing, the prison was on lockdown. The guards told them that there was a situation inside the prison. After an hour of sitting outside they were finally admitted to the transport garage where their friends were awaiting.

Munch jumped out of the truck and immediately went to Olivia who was holding a bandage to her head. Casey was holding her father who had his arm in a sling and the prisoner was chained and manacled.

"What the hell happened?" He asked as Liv walked Aimee to the armored truck. It was Casey who answered.

"Some of the guards tried to make a statistic out of my sister." She said coldly to the prosecuting attorney who was signing off on the transfer.

Liv patted Fin on the shoulder, "Tell me you gassed it up before you got here."

He nodded, "Both tanks are fueled up, but we burned some sitting outside for an hour or so."

"Get us back into the city, straight to Bellevue." She said as he opened the armored door and helped Aimee inside.

* * *

 _ **A/N. I'm taking some time off for a week or two so there won't be anymore posts for a bit. I've got five stories in the works but some of my later ones are foremost on my mind for the moment. Since i can't post them yet, i'm trying to finish them out enough to go back to Discovery, Disclosure, and Friend In Me. I have the basics of the next chapter done but some details need to work out.**_


	17. Chapter 17

_A/N: Fixed the cut on the last three chapters, it's all the same, just moved around. So after a respite, I've got this one for you but Friend in Me has taken a new priority for My Muse so that's where my attention is. But Keep following me because ive got a lot of this whole series laid out right. I almost have Abbie Carmichael's story done, Id say about 75%. When it's done I'll start posting it and go back to Disclosure. Meanwhile, FIM and Discovery._

 _Good catch on Huang's name. I totally botched that._

 _ **Disbelief**_

 **Prison Ward - Bellevue Hospital**

"Why did he do that?"

Casey looked up at a near perfect mirror of her own face.

"What?" She asked, not sure of what Aimee had said.

Aimee tipped her chin to the old soldier who sat in the next room consulting a doctor.

"He took on four guards, broke his collarbone, still fought them, and won." Aimee stared at him, "Why?"

Casey smiled at her father, "Because like it or not, believe it or not, he's your dad too. He'd die for you Aimee."

She looked over at Casey with an angry glare, "Look I know this is a hard concept for you to understand, but I need you to get it right. My name isn't Aimee Novak. It's Amelia Chase."

Casey sighed, "Alright, Amelia."

Amelia looked over at him again, "I don't want him to die for me."

Casey nodded, "I don't either, but that's what being one of his children means." she looked over to her father again, "He made me who I am. Gave me everything that I needed."

"And Benson?" Amelia asked, "What's she to you?"

Casey frowned, "She's… my best friend."

"Bullshit." Amelia snorted, "She's a hell of a lot more to you and to him." she tipped her chin to the old soldier again.

"She's earned his respect, which isn't something that is easily done."

Amelia shook her head, "Right. Listen, I know that you're this queen bitch of a lawyer, but don't bullshit me. I may not have gone to NYU Law or whatever, but don't think that I can't see with my own eyes."

"Harvard actually," Casey said, dodging the question, "Daddy pulled a GI bill for me to go to Harvard."

"Right, Harvard." Amelia rolled her eyes, "And I'm sure he would have done that for me too, right?"

Casey pinched her eyebrows together in confusion and nodded, "Of course he would have. I don't know what kind of life you had growing up, but yes Daddy would have done the same things for you that he did for me. That he did for our brothers."

Amelia jerked, "Brothers!?"

"Yes," she said happily, "You have two half brothers, Gregory and Denis. Both of them are in the Army."

'Half-brothers," she groaned, "Just give me the cliff notes."

Casey sighed, "Alright. When Daddy came back from Vietnam he fell in love with Margaret and had two boys. Then she got an aggressive form of cancer and passed away. He didn't take it well, still he still soldiered on and did his best to raise them. But, when he found out about us he hired a widow named Caroline to help him raise his children. They fell in love and were married years later. She's the only mother I've ever known and she wants to meet you every bit as much as I did."

"A murderer and a rapist." Amelia groaned, "Oh god I'm Rosemary's baby."

"No, you're my lost sister and thanks to Olivia, we found you." Casey said. "I know it's a lot to take in but…"

Amelia rolled her eyes, "But what?"

"But you're not alone anymore." Casey said.

Snorting In disgust, Amelia stared at the attorney. "Excuse me for not buying into that bullshit. In case you forgot, your girlfriend put me in here."

"She did her job." Casey defended, "You and your friends tied down and raped a male stripper."

"And most men would call that a good night." She sneered. "Three good looking women riding him half the night. It's a little boys wet dream."

"And killing Sidney Greene?" Casey said harshly, "You and your lawyer friend murdered her."

"Betrayal is an ugly emotion." Amelia said. "Sid was going to sell us out to save her useless marriage."

"And you sold out Pam Adder to save yours." Casey reminded.

Amelia jerked her arm, rattling the cuffs against the rail of the bed. "For all the good it did me. I'll be inside for three more years than she will."

Casey closed her eyes, "Don't you see that what you did was wrong?"

Amelia stared at her, "I've had three years to think about it. Killing Sid was Pam's idea and as far as I'm concerned, _Pam_ should have been on the end of my rope. Sid just wanted to give up our names, pay some money and move on. But Pam, being the egotistical cunt that she is, just couldn't admit that we screwed that man stupid against his will."

"Aim-" a glare from her sister stopped her. "Sorry, that's going to take some getting used to."

"Try harder." Amelia said harshly, but in a less aggressive tone.

Bowing her head and rubbing the bridge of her nose Casey took a breath for calm.

"Amelia." She started.

"Look." Amelia interrupted. "Going back to Sing Sing is a death sentence. I'll either get stabbed or raped to death. What can you do to keep that from happening?"

"I can put in a word to a friend or two." Casey said. "But ultimately the decision is up to the Department of Corrections."

"I can help with that." Olivia said as she entered the room with a butterfly bandage on the left side of her forehead near her hairline.

"Right." She grumbled. "You put me in prison."

"You put yourself in prison." Liv replied calmly. "I just investigated your crimes."

She looked to her girlfriend. "I'll put in a call and see if I can get her into Bedford Hills. That puts her close to the city." She then turned her attention to Amelia. "If I can get you in, you better not screw it up because they are quick to bounce inmates to Attica, then it will be a lot harder for her to keep an eye on you."

Still not truly believing what they were saying, Amelia nodded and laid back on the hospital bed. All she'd wanted to do was punish the animals who abused her in Sing Sing. To make those _men_ pay. Benson had been the break she'd been waiting for. A chance at either making them suffer or, if she failed, death.

Never had she ever even dreamt of this. Not since she was nine...

She pushed the horrendous memory away as her hated of all things male rose up again. She was not _that_ anymore and her first hand knowledge of Benson's tenacity in her investigations would put an end to those monsters who made her a whore again. The tough detective that she suspected was doing her "sister" would put them in the very cells they'd been guarding. And with any luck there would be a large felon with a huge penis there to show them exactly what it felt like to be violated.

 _ **In need of...**_

 **Apartment of Olivia Benson,**

 **A few days later.**

 _I hate being alone._

Opening the carton from River Wok. Liv used a fork to pluck a few pieces of the Almond Boneless Chicken out and dropping them unceremoniously onto her plate. Next came the brown rice and lo mein, followed by gravy.

Aside from her visit to Sing Sing then Bellevue, Casey hadn't so much as spoken to her. She hadn't called, she hadn't stopped by.

And Liv missed her.

It wasn't fair. She'd done what she'd promised she would. She'd found Casey's lost sister and her girlfriend had turned on her because she put away Aimee, or Amelia rather, for murder.

 _Since when has life ever been fair?_

She sighed heavily as Elliot walked into her tiny kitchen.

"You okay?" He asked.

Putting on a good front, Liv nodded. "Fine."

As he dished up the Chinese food for himself he glanced at her. "You know what stunned me about this whole thing?"

Liv picked up her plate and moved to a chair. She didn't answer him but that didn't deter him.

"Amelia Chase raped a man and murdered a woman." He said matter of factly. "And neither one of us remembered her face when Casey walked on to our crime scene over a year ago."

"I thought Casey looked familiar." She said. "But after you explained about the baseball game, I figured I must have seen her at one of the games you and Kathy dragged me to."

"Kicking and screaming as I remembered it." He chuckled as he parked himself across from her. "Still."

Her food uneaten, Liv rested her head against one of her hands. "El, I sleep with her. I know every part of her more intimately than I know myself. I wake up to her smile morning after morning. Why didn't I see Amelia even one time in her."

"Because you love her." He set his fork down and leaned back. "For you, I imagine that it's hard to see anything bad in Casey. The rest of us don't have that excuse."

She lifted her eyes to him. "The rest of us?"

"Munch, Fin, Cragen?" He picked his fork up and waved it lightly, "We all had a hand in putting away Amelia Chase. We've all worked with Casey almost two years, none of us saw it either."

"But I'm sleeping with her." She snapped, "I should have seen the resemblance a year ago or more."

Sticking a piece of the chicken he shrugged. "You're sleeping with her gives you a better reason than anyone why you didn't see it."

She sighed and poked at her plate without really eating.

"How was the coming out thing going?" He asked, deliberately changing the subject.

"We talked about it." She groused. "She wanted to before this happened."

"So what's holding you up?" He asked. "It's what you wanted."

Liv set her fork down and crossed her arms. "I don't want to hide it, there's a big difference between not hiding and coming out. Casey wanted to come out, and truthfully she only wanted to come out to SVU and the DA."

Forking more food up he looked at her again. "And now?" He shoved the fork into his mouth.

"I don't even know if we have a relationship anymore."

He swallowed and spoke through the corner of his mouth. "That's crap. Donnelly said that she went over to Casey's after sick day number two. She said that Casey was miserable."

"That's because of Alex." She replied. "It was easier when Casey thought she was dead. Alex was a non issue to her."

He shook his head at her, "No. She told me that she felt like she was living with you and Alex's ghost. Now that she knows Alex is alive, it's gotta be hard on her."

"And Alex is in Witness Protection." Liv grumbled, "Who knows if she'll ever come back?"

"That's my point, Liv." He said firmly. "Casey loves you. She came out to her hard core, ball busting, Paratrooper family because she loves you."

Liv groaned and covered her face with her hands. "i put her twin sister away for murder."

" _We_ put her away." He corrected. "Look. I think she's going overboard with this but all you can do is try to be there. You girls are good together, better than you were with Alex. This whole Amelia - Aimee thing aside, you hardly ever fight and aside from right now, you haven't ever gone home upset at her."

He set his plate down and pulled her hands away from her face, "I love Alex too, but I gotta tell you that she never made you smile like Casey does. That means something."

Her shoulders slumped and she nodded but before she could say anything, there was a knock at her door.

Frowning Liv glanced at her partner. No one should have been able to come up without buzzing in.

Elliot knew that too. He set his fork down and wiped his hands before going to the door. He looked through the peephole.

"Well maybe this will cheer you up." He unlocked the door and opened it to reveal Casey.

Surprised to see him, Casey hesitated before walking in.

"Hi Case." He said.

"Elliot?" She said slightly off balance but looked to Liv. 'Can I come in?"

"Sure." She replied. "How did Aimee's Psych eval go?"

Breathing out a huff of frustration, she sat down across from her girlfriend as El closed the door.

 _"Amelia_ ," she emphasized the name, "is pissed off, showing signs of severe misandry with homicidal tendencies, borderline personality and antisocial disorder but she's willing to do whatever it takes to stay in Bedford Hills."

Nodding in understanding, Liv passed her the lo mein carton. "Who did the eval?"

"I asked Dr Huang to do it since he profiled her when... she did what she did."

Elliot sat next to her. "What did Huang say?"

"That she came out of Sing Sing worse than when she went in." She poked a the food but didn't eat any. "The fact that she's not showing the classic signs and her other issues is making him think that she's no stranger to sexual abuse."

"Not showing the signs," Liv asked. "She had them when we pulled her out."

"Huang believes it was a combination of shock over finding out she has a family and the guards intent." Casey set the carton down. "She's not falling apart or blaming herself, she's actually raging over her abuse. In her condition Huang believes she's capable of anything. I mean she looks at our dad with absolute hatred."

"Sounds like she was abused young." El said. "Remember that case in Philadelphia we got the advisory on. That girl who's stepdad used her since she was eleven?"

"She almost beat him to death as I recall." Liv said. "She beat him into a coma when he turned on the younger sister."

Casey frowned. "I heard about that, she got emancipated and got custody of her sister who was only a couple years younger."

"Four years of the step father raping her and she beat him within an inch of his life to keep her sister from going through that." Liv looked at Casey. "But I never heard about a weapon."

"Her bare fists." Elliot said. "She put him in a coma with her fists. That is some serious rage."

Casey nodded. "She had to get counselling for anger before they'd let her get her sister out of foster care."

"Maybe something similar happened to Amelia." Stabler suggested.

"Well at least she's somewhere where she can get help and not hurt anyone." Liv looked to her girlfriend, still feeling guilty for her part in Aimee's incarceration. "And she's got you to help."

"I still can't believe it." She muttered. "My sister is a murderer, and a rapist that my girlfriend and her ex put away."

That stab of guilt cut her again. "I'm sorry, honey."

Casey glared hard at her. "Don't! Don't you dare say you're sorry. Don't act like you did anything wrong. As much as I hate it, you did your job and that's the only thing that keeps me from being pissed off at you, unjustly or not. So don't you dare take that from me."

"Warner and I were in this as deep as Liv." El said in an attempt to distract her. "Why aren't you cussing one of us out."

She turned that angry glare at him. "Because I'm not sleeping with you. Because I don't love you like I do her, and even though it's wrong, I feel betrayed. Someone at SVU or Alex when she came back should have seen me and made the connection and the fact that no one did makes me feel like my sister meant nothing to anyone."

She looked at Liv. "And because i'm blaming myself for not finding her sooner."

"Honey. That wasn't your fault." Liv said and reached her hand out. "I found her by having Huang use your picture on the Facial Recognition System to produce your nearest matches. Only two names came up, your cousin Abby, and Amelia Chase. El and I were at Sing Sing when he called me with the results. As soon as I heard the name, it just clicked."

"She had an appeal hearing in two months." Elliot added. "One of us would have gotten that call and made the connection."

"Provided she lived to see it." Casey said and finally took Liv's hand. "I'm so sorry that I blamed you and Alex for what she did."

Snorting Stabler patted the attorney on the back. "Don't worry about it. She gets blamed a lot for doing her job." He nodded to his partner. "Munch and Fin said to call if you two need anything."

He straightened. "And John gave me an of message for you. He said he'll cover Christmas this year so Santa doesn't have to sneak in."

Liv's eyes widened. Casey snapped her head around to look up at him. "What?"

He shrugged. "I figured it was something he was working on for Amelia's case."

"He knows." Liv said. "How the hell does he know?"

"I told you he was spying on us!" Casey growled.

Elliot shrugged again. " _If_ he knows, he hasn't said anything. Meanwhile I'll leave you kids to talk." He grabbed up the carton of white rice and left.

Casey sat pushing the lo mein around inside the box. "I guess we have a lot to talk about."

"Yeah." Liv said. "Casey if I knew I would have told you."

Casey took in a deep breath for calm and pushed the carton away with both hands, "I know. I'm sorry, I overreacted."

"I know," came the soft reply, "no matter what, Casey. I'm here for you."

"Because you love me?" Casey said. "Even though you won't say it? Even though you'll go to great lengths to all but say it?"

Closing her eyes she nodded. "That doesn't mean I don't feel it. You know I do."

"I love you Olivia." Casey said straightly. "I'm not afraid to say it."

"And you know why I can't say it."

"That's the thing." Casey stood up and carried the cartons to the fridge. "That's what eats away at me. You said it to her and you won't say it to me."

"Casey, i can't. I don't know why it is but every one I say it too ends up leaving me. Alex disappeared into WitSec and she was the last in a long line. I can't go through that again. Especially with what you mean to me."

"And you do know how crazy that sounds." Casey said, "it's a silly fear Liv. You say you love me and I'm going to die or disappear or some other nonsense." She looked straight at her. "I love you."

Liv shifted uncomfortably, all she wanted to do was say it. But for as much as she loved her, she couldn't take that chance. "I feel the same about you."

Casey rolled her eyes, "Coward."

Liv bowed her head in agreement. It was silly, and maybe it was unfounded but she couldn't shake the fear of loss. Elliot did have a point, one that Liv knew down to the core of her being. She did love Casey and her brash redheaded girlfriend meant more to her than anything… even Alex.

The simple truth was that everyone she loved had left her and every time it happened, it hurt worst than the last. So she had stopped saying it and people stopped leaving. Until she told Alex that she loved her. Ten minutes later, the blonde ADA was laying in the street with a bullet in her chest. She vowed that she'd never say those words again not even to her partner, even though Elliot meant the world to her. Though her love for him was that of close siblings, she was afraid he'd leave her too. She stayed her tongue out of fear.

And if she lost Casey…

Well, the last week had been sheer agony and Olivia just wanted it over.

One thing about her tough detective was that her tells were so subtle that most others missed them but Casey knew every nuance of her girlfriend's emotions. She knew how guarded Liv kept her heart and she knew when her lover was wrestling her demons. Like the distant look on her face right now.

Casey got up and put her hand on her shoulder, breaking Liv's thoughts and causing her to look up.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to her, "I love you, Olivia Benson. I know you won't say the words but you've always made me feel it and I need to feel it now. I'm scared of losing you too and this last week has been a nightmare without you."

Liv pulled Casey into her arms and held on to her tightly. "I didn't want you to do this alone."

"I can't, Liv." Casey ran her hands through Liv's hair. "I love you so much that it hurts when you're not with me. I need you, and I need the way you make me feel. I can't do this alone, or even with my Dad. I need _you_ , Liv. Amelia's case is going to be hard on her, on my family, and especially on me. I need you to hold me when it does get hard. And that's what scares me, how much I need you in my life."

"I'm right here, Case." Liv Nuzzled Casey's slender neck. "I'm right here."

Putting her hands on those lovely cheeks, Casey tipped Liv's head to look at her. She wanted her lover to see her sincerity as she addressed her fears. "I love you, Liv, and I'm not going anywhere so long as you'll have me."

Liv felt her heart melting as Casey claimed her mouth.


	18. Chapter 18

**DOUBLE HEADER ALERT!**

 **Just a reminder to all the people following this story. It takes place in a crossover universe that i created. I know i haven't been here in a while but it's because i've had a few other stories taking priority. Hardly a week goes by that i am not posting something on fanfiction so if you're interested i urge you to select "Follow Author" on this page so you can get notified when i post regardless of which story i'm posting on. All my current stories lead into each other.**

 **Meanwhile, i found this little gem a week ago when i was moving things from Google Docs to Scrivener and decided to finish it. It's just a longer background of the Novaks that takes place in between L &O: SVU 'Night' and L&O: TBJ 'Day'. Mainly it's history and manufactured history of the Novaks.**

 **Also, this is a work of fiction and the line that I say was in General Moore's book** _ **does not exist in reality**_ **and is no way meant to be disrespectful to him, his work of nonfiction, or the heroic soldiers of the Garryowen. I served myself and would never deliberately insult our soldiers. Our civilian leaders..? this is not the forum for that conversation.**

 **Meanwhile, carry on and enjoy. After this history lesson we're going to move it forward faster since i do hav another four years of Casey Novak to cover. and I want to keep this under 40 chapters. I haven't given up on this one or Disclosure. I just haven't had My Muse here to help out with Alex.**

* * *

 _ **Aftermath**_

 **Apartment of Olivia Benson**

Casey let go of Liv's arm as they reached the door of her girlfriend's apartment, Barely able to stand on her own Casey leaned against the hallway wall for support as Liv into her pocket for her keys. As she made contact with the unforgiving wall, she cried out softly, her body still aching from the beating she sustained a few days ago.

"Honey, I'm sorry." Liv said as she finally got the keys out. "We should have waited for Elliot."

"Just get me inside." Casey groaned as she gripped the metal cane the hospital had given her, her knuckles turning white as pain washed through her, "I need to lay down."

She'd forgone the last dose of painkiller before leaving the hospital so that Liv wouldn't have to carry her home. But as a new wave of agony washed through her, she was beginning to regret that choice. Despite putting on a strong front for her, Olivia's hands shook as she shoved the key in the lock and twisted. Casey had been assaulted while she'd gone for coffee and Liv still felt guilty about it.

She finally got the door open and took Casey's arm, "We should have gone to your place."

"I couldn't have made it up the stairs." Fortifying herself she straightened and groaned in agony, sweat beaded up on her forehead as Liv guided her inside. "You... have an elevator. Ahhh!"

She almost fell to the floor as her leg buckled. Liv grabbed her by the waist to keep her from falling and Casey cried out. It was a struggle to get her into bed but once there Casey nearly passed out.

"Oh thank god." She sighed, "Percocet."

"I'll call Elliot and have him bring your prescriptions over." Liv said in a worried tone, "I'm not leaving you."

Casey reached out and put her hand on Liv's. "Can't wait… hurts."

"Casey, I don't want to leave you."

The urgent tone in her voice got Casey to open her swollen eyes, "Liv, please. No one knows I'm here. I'm safe."

"I thought you were safe in the DA's office." Liv said, as the guilt of that night came back on her. "Casey, I don't want you to be here alone."

"Liv," Casey groaned again, "Please, it hurts."

The agony on Casey's face finally convinced her. Liv went to her closet and opened the lock box that held her off duty weapon that she almost never carried. She checked the 9mm Beretta M9 twice before laying it on the bed next to Casey.

"For me to put me out of my misery?" She tried to joke.

"That's not even funny, Casey." Liv scolded. "But until we find him, I want you to keep this with you. Now your brothers are both in the service so I'm hoping you can use this."

A slight smile cracked the slip of her bottom lip open, "Ow." she touched it again and the stinging caused her to hiss. "If I wasn't hurting I'd field strip and assemble it for you."

Taking Casey's hand, Liv touched her lover's cheek tenderly. "Baby, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine once you get back with my script." Casey breathed.

Liv leaned over her bed and kissed Casey in the spot on her head that wasn't covered in a nasty bruise.

"I'll be right back," she said, "The pharmacy is only a block away."

"Go." she growled, "I'll be right here."

"okay." Liv squeezed her hand gently. "Be right back."

Despite her reservations, Liv went out to her pharmacy and filled Casey's prescriptions. On the way back her phone rang.

"Elliot, please tell me you have something." Liv said.

 _"I got him. Milan Zergin."_

Liv stopped dead on the sidewalk. "Nina's brother!"

 _"I got him on tape with the flowers, waiting on the elevator. I'm going to pick him up right now if you want to tune him up."_

Rage filled her entire body at the thought. She wanted a hell of a lot more than a tune up from the sonuvabitch. Liv wanted to feel his blood on her hands but as her fist clenched, the crinkling of the small white paper bag in her hand brought her back.

"I can't." She growled.

 _"You sure?"_ he asked, _"If it was Kathy, I'd sure as hell want to. Even though we're separated."_

"That's exactly why I can't." Sighing regretfully, she leveled with him. "Elliot, if I'm there I won't be able to control myself. I'll kill him and then I'll end up cellmates with Amelia."

she could hear him snort through the phone. _"Where are you right now?"_

"I'm walking up to my building right now with Casey's scripts and a Pez dispenser." She replied.

 _"You never brought me a Pez dispenser for my drugs when I needed one."_ He said with a little mirth. _"I'll keep you posted."_

"El?" Liv tapped the bag against her thigh, "If he falls down a few extra times, I won't be sorry to hear it."

 _"You got it, Liv. Take care of Casey and I'll swing by later if you need something."_ he hung up and Liv walked inside.

She found Casey on her knees next to the bed, shaking. One arm on the nightstand and the other pushing against the floor. Liv dropped the bag and rushed to her, "Honey, what are you doing."

Fresh tears in her eyes, Casey looked up at her, "I had to pee."

Liv gently eased her girlfriend back into bed. "Baby I said I'd be right back." Once she pulled the blanket over her, Liv bent down at picked up Casey's cane.

"I know but it just came over me and I really had to go." She grumbled. "I haven't wet the bed since I was five and I didn't want to relive the experience."

Liv went back to the living room and retrieved the bag of pill bottles. She pulled out the Percocet and the amoxicillin and tapped one each into her hand before adding the naproxen to the group. She set the pills down on the counter and pulled a water bottle from the fridge before going back to her girlfriends side. Again, the sight of Casey's beaten face caused a swelling of guilt inside her chest. She should have been there. She should have been there to kick the shit out of Zergin. She should have never left Casey alone.

She swallowed hard as Casey took the pills and washed them down with the water. The cuts and bruises were all Liv's fault. It had all happened because Olivia had whispered "I love you" to Casey as the redhead slept that morning.

"Don't do this, Liv."

Casey's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "What am I doing?"

Her girlfriend stared at her with those beautiful green eyes, "You're blaming yourself for what happened. It's not your fault, honey."

Liv sighed and sat down on the bed gently, "I should have been there."

"No." Casey sighed, "No, you don't get to blame yourself. You've already suffered too much. You're not at fault. The animal that did this to me is to blame. Hopefully the guys can get him soon."

Liv stiffened.

Casey didn't miss it. "What?"

"Elliot is on his way to pick him up now." Liv reached out and took Casey's hand.

"Was it Gabriel Duval or Jason Whitaker?" Casey asked.

"Neither." Liv braced herself for Casey's reaction, "It was Milan Zergin."

Casey's eyes widened, "No! It can't be."

"Elliot has him on the surveillance tapes." Liv said and gently stroked Casey's hair. "Zergin was the one who attacked you and Elliot made a positive ID from the camera pointing at the elevators."

Casey sighed heavily, "Why?"

"We don't know yet. The guys are going to pick him up right now. We'll know more when Elliot gets him into the box."

Frowning Casey glared at her, "Why aren't you going with them?"

Liv tightened her grip slightly, "Because, I need to be here with you."

The painkillers started to work on her, but for a moment Casey had total clarity of thought. A brief moment where her mind was free of pain right before the effects of the drug clouded her thoughts.

Her eyes widened again, "You don't trust yourself."

Liv held her breath for a second, "No. I don't. I don't give a damn about due process right now. I just want to take my kettlebell and beat him with it for what he did to you."

Casey's mind numbed as the drug took effect. Liv wanted to kill a man, for her. Though it shouldn't be a comforting thought, it was and Casey knew that Olivia loved her. As she gave in to sleep, she could have sworn she heard Liv whisper in her ear the words she'd longed to hear.

 _I love you too, Olivia._

Liv watched Casey smile slightly as she closed her eyes, her pained breaths evening out and her lips tried to form words. Words that she couldn't quite make out.

All she wanted to do was make Zergin bleed for Casey. It wasn't so much revenge as it was to appease her own sense of responsibility.

Seeing how dark her thoughts were becoming, Liv looked down at the sleeping form next to her. Again, her need to protect Casey barred her from any retaliation.

Though she struggled with it, Liv leashed all thoughts of revenge and laid down next to her lover. Though the guilt still had a hold of her, Liv delicately stroked Casey's chin.

"Even when you're the one who needs me to be strong, you still give me the strength to do what's right."

Casey's lip twitched into a slight smile.

She'd do whatever she had to in order to keep the younger woman safe.

Something that would be difficult after Elliot called again a few hours later to tell her that Nina wasn't going to testify.

 **Two days later…**

Liv walked Casey out of Nina Zergin's building the next afternoon. She'd hung back while Casey convinced the victim to testify against Gabriel Duval for raping her. As Liv opened the door of her department issued Crown Vic, she couldn't help but admire her girlfriend.

Casey had stood there in front of Nina with her cane in the door, the evidence of the beating she'd caught at the hands of her brother plainly visible on her face, and told her that nothing was going to stop her from prosecuting Duval for her rape. She really knew how to work a witness.

Casey nearly collapsed into the passenger seat. Liv crouched and carefully put the ADA's legs inside before setting the cane in Casey's lap.

"I want to go to the office." She said.

Liv shut the door and walked around to the other side. Casey repeated herself as Liv started the car.

"Honey. You need to rest." Liv replied.

"I can't." She said to her detective, "I told Nina that nothing would stop me from convicting her rapist. If I can get it into court while I'm still beat up, I can get juror sympathy which means the defense will have a hard time defending Duval."

"Casey." Liv tried.

"Liv, I love you." She interrupted, "But I need to do this."

Sighing Olivia realized that there was nothing she could say to stop her. Even if she did take Casey home, the stubborn redhead would just hop a cab back to work as soon as she got out of the car. Thinking about how Casey'd only recently got passed Olivia's pursuit of her sister and Alex's conviction of Amelia, Liv decided that it was better for their relationship if she let Casey do this because they'd both agreed never to let the work suffer from their relationship. So Liv got Casey up to her office and just before she was about to leave, she saw Branch stop Casey and informing her that Tracy Kibre would be trying her case. Dejected, Casey had no choice but to listen to her boss. Liv waited for her as she went back to her office and set aside the Duval case.

"Casey?' Liv asked.

She looked up at her and frowned. "Kibre is taking over the Duval case."

"I over heard." Liv put a hand on Casey's shoulder, "C'mon. I'll take you home."

Casey packed up her bag to go home but at the last moment she stopped and set the bag down.

"Do you have to work?" She asked her girlfriend.

"No." Liv replied, "I'm here for you."

"I want to go see Amelia." Casey said, "Will you take me?"

Liv thought about it for a long moment. The last thing she wanted to do was drive Casey up to a state prison to see her sister. Casey had such a hard time moving around as it was and to have to do all that walking inside, the animals in there would sense her weakened state, including Amelia.

Finally she agreed so long as she could be there.


	19. Chapter 19

_**History Lesson**_

 **Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women**

 **Bedford Hills, NY.**

Amelia Chase sat on the solitary bunk of her isolated cell with a book in her lap and her back to the wall when the female guard walked along her block and stopped outside the gate of her cell.

"Chase." She said "Put your shoes on, you're going outside."

Amelia set her book down and glared hard at the robust black woman in the DOC uniform. "Any particular reason?"

"Because you wouldn't want to step on a piece of glass when you hit the yard." She said. "Just put your shoes on and let's go. Hell you can bring your book if you want but get a move on, convict, I don't have all day."

Frowning at what the guard said, Amelia set her socked feet on the concrete floor and slid her shoes out from under the stainless steel sink that was anchored to the wall. Plain white canvas with rubber soles and a Velcro strap she fastened them before standing up and glaring at Torres, "I can bring my book?"

"If you want." She said as if she'd rather be doing something else.

She picked up the hard covered book and set it where she could reach it after she was shackled before putting her hands on the wall. "Okay."

"This ain't Attica." She snapped, "Hands through the bars."

As unexpected as it was Amelia compiled by sticking her hands through the same opening where she received her food tray. Torres pulled out a set of handcuffs and put them on the prisoner, tight enough so that Amelia couldn't get loose but not as tight as the bastards had done to her at Sing Sing.

"Okay, back up." Amelia did and Torres shoved the large key into the slot and opened the gate. As Amelia picked up her book and turned to step out, Torres blocked the gate, "Okay, here's the deal. You behave for me and I'll treat you like a person. Fuck with me even a little, and I'll tie you up like the other animals, am I clear?"

"Where are we going?"

Torres tipped her head, "Am. I. Clear?"

"Yes. You. Are." Amelia replied with equal measure of contempt.

"Your trying my patience already," She said and backed out waving a hand for Amelia to step out. "You're lucky a pretty mouth like yours already got my brother off a drug charge or I'd get the chains right now."

Amelia laughed wholeheartedly, "So you've met my good twin already, huh?"

Torres relocked Amelia's cell and pointed down the corridor. "Believe me, I wouldn't be so nice if I hadn't. Move."

Amelia smiled at the guard, "remind me not to ask about your evil twin." And walked towards the gate.

"Just for the record." Torres said firmly, "I heard about you, what you did, and what happened to you at Sing Sing. That crap will not happen here so long as I'm around. Outside of that, you are a convict and will be treated like one. Just because I have mad respect for Novak doesn't mean any of that translates to you and to be honest, I am shocked to find out that you have the same DNA as one of the fairest people I know. But as I said, don't fuck with me and I won't fuck with you. It's that simple."

Torres escorted her all the way out to the prison exercise yard. What she hadn't expected was to find Casey sitting at a concrete picnic table waiting for her with her detective pacing in the sun only a few feet away. Torres stepped in front of Amelia, "Go after her and I'll let Benson tear you apart. Got it?"

She smiled back at the tall black guard, "I'll behave."

"Good." She said and unlocked the handcuffs. "I'll be standing right here. You have an hour."

Torres took the cuffs ant walked towards the gate where she fished a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket and stuck one in her mouth. She leaned against the block wall in the shade and lit up. "Time's awastin'."

She honestly thought she might be able to respect the no nonsense guard as she turned towards her sister and started walking. Closing her eyes Amelia lifted her face up to the sunlight and breathed in deeply as she approached them. "They never let me out into the yard at Sing Sing. They always found a reason to keep me in isolation so they could beat me up and use me like a whore."

"That's all over now." Casey smiled at her sister's reaction to the yard. It was good to see her smile without a malevolent intent.

Amelia opened her eyes and looked down at her sister. Her eyes widened at the cuts and bruises that she herself was intimately familiar with.

"What the fuck happened to her!?" she screamed at Olivia before dropping her book on the table, causing Torres to start for them.

Casey shook as she rose to her feet, it was obvious that she was still very much in pain. Liv reached for Casey but Amelia beat her to it causing Liv to hold her hand out to the guards.

"Sit down." She said harshly to her twin as she helped her back down onto the bench. "Jesus Christ, look at you."

Casey looked up at her sister who despite being a convicted murderer was surprisingly gentle. "I had a bad day at the office."

"Why the hell are you here?" She snapped and then looked at Olivia, "Why the fuck did you bring her here when she should be at home?"

"She wanted to see you." Liv replied.

"Your her fucking girlfriend, you can't hitch those pants up a little higher and keep her at home."

"Stop it!" Casey snapped and groaned as she clutched her side, "Benson is my friend and my detective. I asked her to bring me here because I wanted to see you."

"It's not like I'm going anywhere." Amelia snapped and looked up at Benson, "What happened to her, tell me it wasn't those cocksuckers from Sing Sing."

"It wasn't." Liv said, "We got the sonuvabitch and he's going to trial this week."

Amelia stood up and pointed her finger at Liv. "You should have never let this happen!"

Casey again tried to stand up but was once again stopped and sat back down by her sister. "Fucking stay down, Jesus, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Sit down, Convict." Torres's voice boomed out behind her.

She turned around and held a hand to her sister's face, "Look at her! I expect to get beat the fuck up but this shit shouldn't happen to her, she's a goddamn lawyer!"

Torres straightened, ready to throw the redhead down if she had to, and Liv held her hand up. "It's okay, Torres. Amelia isn't going to hurt anyone today."

"I might if you don't start talking." She snapped.

"Sit down and I'll tell you." Casey interrupted. "Amelia please, your setting everyone off. I don't want to see you get hurt. You want to yell then yell but please sit down and yell."

Amelia threw her hands out in resignation and sat down, "Fucking start talking!"

Torres remained close but pulled out another cigarette.

"I got the hell beat out of me in my office while I was working on a rape case. The brother of my victim felt that I dishonored her by bringing her rape into court and tried to silence me. Benson found me and got me to a hospital." She left out the fact that Liv had left her there to get them coffee. "Stabler went through hours of video, made the ID and arrested him. He's getting the full measure of the law."

Amelia scoffed at her, "I'd rather he get the measure of someone beating the shit out of him for what he did to you."

Liv caught the tone and the defensiveness right from the beginning. Despite her perpetually angry attitude, she was pissed off _for_ Casey. Something that was confirmed when Amelia leveled her finger at her. "You should have been there to protect her! Where we're you?"

"I was on my way." Liv defended though there was enough guilt for Amelia to pick up on.

"There's something you're not telling me." She snapped. "This was _your_ fault!"

"No it wasn't." Casey snapped, "It was his fault. He attacked me and believe me, he got a little of what he gave me from more than a few people on his way to Riker's."

Torres perked up slightly at the name of the prison. "What's the fucker's name?"

"Does it matter?" Casey asked.

"Milan Zergin." Liv supplied.

The guard's eyes went from Benson's to Amelia's and there was an understanding there. Torres apparently didn't like the idea of someone attacking Novak anymore than she did.

"No. No, no, no." Casey said, "You're not going to have him tuned up at Riker's."

Torres shrugged "wouldn't dream of it."

Again Amelia looked back at the guard but she refused to meet her gaze.

Amelia smirked slightly at Liv who passed her a warning gaze. The message was as clear as if Liv said it herself, _shut up!_

Taking the advice for the moment, Amelia moved the book in between her and her twin.

"Is that the book I sent you?" Casey asked.

"Yes." She said and shoved it towards her, "We We're Soldiers Once, and Young. But I don't understand why you sent this of all things to me. It's all about some battle in Vietnam."

"Because you asked about our father and why he'd be willing to die for us." Casey picked it up and gently ran her hand over the cover. "This book isn't just about Moore and Galloway. It's about all of the soldiers that fought at La Drang, including our dad."

Amelia looked at her as if she'd gone crazy, "Wait. This happened in 1965. How old was he?"

"Eighteen." Casey said and flipped open the book looking through the pages, "He was a door gunner and he was only mentioned once but he's in there."

She found the page and slid it to her sister. "Tommy Novak seemed to be as fixed to the door as the gun was."

Amelia's eyes widened as she read the page, "He was there?"

"Daddy rode on almost every flight of the 7th Cavalry, always on the door." Casey said proudly to her sister. "Unlike most door gunners at the time, he wasn't part of the crew, he was just a young soldier who happened to be sitting on a nearby jeep with a machine gun mounted to it when one of the flight guys slipped and broke his arm right before getting on the huey. Daddy gave them his jeep so they could get the guy to the Mash unit and he took up the gun on the huey. After the first wave, he kept volunteering and ended up riding all the way through. Actually he got into a lot of trouble because his unit thought he went AWOL until they found out where he'd been. Daddy was given a bronze star for working the door on almost every flight into La Drang Valley. He stayed a door gunner for three tours before getting shot down."

"I thought he was still in the Army." Amelia said and Casey smiled at her, but cringed as the split in her lip cracked.

"He is." She replied and pulled out a napkin that she dabbed at her lip. "Daddy was injured pretty badly but he did his rehab at Walter Reed and then he was sent back to Fort Hood."

"Is that when he knocked up our mother?" Amelia sneered.

"No." Casey replied patiently, "That was when he met Margaret, Greg's and Denis's mother. She was his physiotherapist at the Darnall Hospital. They fell in love and were married right after he made Sergeant. Gregg was born 10 months from their honeymoon and Denis was born fifteen months later."

"And then she got cancer." Amelia remembered.

"Breast Cancer." Casey said sadly. "Inflammatory Carcinoma. She was diagnosed maybe a month before Denis was born and she died five months later because cancer treatments in 1975 weren't as good as they are now."

Amelia saw the sad look in Casey's eyes and snorted, "She wasn't your mother? Why are you sad?"

Casey's eyes snapped up, "Because you could hear the hurt in daddy's voice when he told me about her. I know if she'd lived we wouldn't be here but he still loved her and their story was kinda romantic."

"Okay, I'm sorry." She replied half heartedly, "Skip on to our mother."

Casey felt a firm hand on her shoulder and looked up to see her girlfriend's hand reassuring her. Casey nodded and continued.

"Even though he mourned her loss, Daddy had two sons he had to take care of so he took leave and started looking for a live in nanny to help out and he found one."

"Our mother?" Amelia asked.

"Jeannette." She said, "She was an old lady Greg describes as a nasty old bag. The day that Daddy got sent to Fort Lee was the happiest of Greg's life because and I quote, 'we got to leave that mean old bitch in Texas,'"

"I like him already." Amelia snipped.

Ignoring her Casey continued, "When they got to Fort Lee, Daddy took another month's leave to care for us and set up a nanny. That's when he met Caroline, the only person I've ever called Mom. She'd lost her husband during the evacuation of Saigon a couple of months earlier. He didn't even hesitate to offer to let her stay if she'd help raise his children. She'd been a runaway when she got married and had no family she wanted to go back to so she moved in the next day. He gave her a room of her own and paid her a wage. There was some nonsense about some stuff starting between them but from their own mouths it hadn't happened like that."

"And in 1978?" Amelia prompted impatiently.

Casey rolled her eyes, "Daddy's friends took him out into town to blow off some steam for some military thing that didn't go right. They got drunk, one of his friends picked a fight with some locals and it was a brawl. Because he was drunk, Daddy was fuzzy on the details but he did say that his buddies got him out the back because he was a single dad with three kids and no bail money. He hid out drinking coffee at a diner, sobering up before he called a cab. The waitress started hitting on him and he flirted back. Next thing he knew, he was getting it on with the waitress on the hood of a car behind the diner."

"How romantic," She said sarcastically.

"He woke up passed out at a bus stop, a few blocks away. His wallet was gone and he had nothing but two quarters on him. With no choice, he called Caroline to come get him."

"Nine months later." Amelia said. "We were born to a bitch who couldn't have cared less."

"Not exactly," Casey said patiently. "It was eleven months when he got the phone call. Mom said that he was completely shocked because he barely remembered that night and didn't even know the waitress's name. When they couldn't get a hold of Lindsay, they called Daddy to inform him that I was being brought back to the agency and that you were still adopted out."

"Some adoption." Amelia said through gritted teeth, "What happened then?"

"Caroline insisted that he go get us both." Casey said while looking straight into her sister's eyes, "She said that a father's first duty is to his children. It was something her late husband said. Daddy called them back thinking it was a mistake until they rattled off his service number and address. He told them that he didn't even know we'd been born and that they were to get you back as well, that he was exercising his rights as a father. That was when they found out you were falsely adopted. Daddy was devastated and spent the next two years tearing apart Virginia and North Carolina apart looking for you. He sued the adoption agency for their records and the CID set out to find you. It was big news back then and half of the Army in Virginia was looking for you.

"After two years, the Army moved him out to Fort Leonard Wood as a drill sergeant. Caroline offered to come with him, said that she'd rather us have a familiar face while he was at work. Daddy agreed but the Army didn't so he moved her at his own expense to Louisiana where they rented a four bedroom house. Daddy had friends in the Virginia State Police who kept looking for you while he did what he could to get posted back into Virginia."

"It wouldn't have done him any good." Amelia said harshly. "I was in Ohio until I ran away."

Casey closed her eyes as Liv put her hands on her shoulder again, knowing that her girlfriend needed that comfort. Amelia saw it too.

"Daddy said the first word out of my mouth was Mama and I called Caroline that. Dennis kinda followed and so did Greg. They didn't fall in love so much as grew into love. He married her when we were five and in '85 he was permanently stationed at Fort A.P. Hill. Daddy bought the house on the river and that's where we grew up."

They spent the rest of the time with Amelia asking about the house and the boat when Casey mentioned the old _Family Venture._ Aparently a boat had always been Amelia's fantasy. Though she had moments of profound nastiness and more than a few unkind things to say about the men in Casey's life, Amelia had been overall inquisitive, more so about Casey than the Novaks. But before long Torres walked back to them and cleared her throat.

"Time's up." SHe said politely.

Amelia looked back at the tall black guard and nodded to her before looking back at her sister and her detective. "Well thank you for the family history, Casey. I had my first period at 13 and it was like ringing the dinner bell to my foster dad and the rest of my life wasn't much better."

She stood up and allowed Torres to lock up her wrists in the cuffs. Leaving Casey stunned at the venomous statement she'd just got from her sister.

Liv helped Casey to her feet as Amelia disappeared into the prison.

"I shouldn't have told her all of that." She said regretfully. "I should have stuck to the basics."

"Don't blame her." Liv said as she led her girlfriend towards the gate. "She told you something about herself. Something that you know victims of abuse have a hard time admitting. She could have just as easily said nothing."

Casey nodded to her as she realized Liv was right. It would take time but Amelia though not very accepting of all of this, was at least making an effort.

Amelia laid back in her bunk and set aside the book she'd been reading. Though her life had been full of abuse, reading about La Drang and now knowing that the old soldier had been there changed the way Amelia thought about Tom Novak. The horrors that she'd suffered were intense but they were personal. Tom had fought in the battle as a teen. He'd volunteered. He could have stayed back at the camp but he flew out with them. It gave her a new perspective on him and if he really cared for her the way he had for Casey, with the same mentality as he'd had in the war. Then Casey wasn't kidding when she said Tom Novak tore Virginia apart looking for her.

There was a small part of her that wanted to be a part of that, wanted to be part of a family full of love and understanding. But these things were completely alien to her and Amelia knew that it was a pipe dream that Casey wanted. A twin sister who she could love and trust.

As the lights in the block went out, Amelia slid out of bed and moved her toothbrush to the slot in the cell door. She then set the small plastic cup she'd been allowed to keep beneath it. If someone tried to open the gate, the toothbrush would fall to the cup and make noise. It would be enough to wake her and give her at least a few seconds to mount a defense. It hadn't mattered in Sing Sing, but here, with mostly women guards and all women convicts. Those few seconds could mean life and death.

Amelia slid back into bed and clutched the book to her chest.

 _If you really are my father, I hope that I have your fighting spirit because I'm all alone here._

What Amelia didn't know was that she wasn't alone. In addition to knowing Casey, Keisha Torres was also an Army Reservist. The night guard on her block, Karen Hitchcock was New York National Guard. Two other guards had transferred in from Taconic Medium Security Prison. Tasha Rodriguez and Lucia Medina were also National Guard. Neither Olivia or Tom Novak had made these arrangements. The minor reorganization of the duty roster was handled through an old friend of John Munch. A spook who had made a few phone calls to the right ears to get shifts moved around and notify the four guards that they were to keep a very good eye on the daughter of a war hero. He hadn't minded burning up his favors for John because he wouldn't need them anymore. He'd just been diagnosed with Cancer and he intended to spend the last few years he had riding his brand new Harley Trike.

A trike that would later fall into the hands of the woman who got the entire thing started by finding Amelia Chase.


	20. Chapter 20

_**AN: oops, minor formatting error.**_

 **Goliath**

Casey went with Liv and Fin on the lunch run while she waited for the JAG Corps to deliver the documents she'd subpoenaed for the Quinium case against the Army. Something that wouldn't endear her to her family when they found out but Elliot was right. Myers and Callahan deserved better than what they'd gotten from the Army and she was going to hold them accountable. Her thoughts were interrupted by Fin pulling the car up to the curb in front of the Carnegie Bistro.

"Hey Novak." Fin said as he climbed out of the cruiser, "You buying lunch today on that big attorney's salary?"

Liv chuckled as she let Casey out of the back seat.

Rolling her eyes, Casey snorted at Fin, "You do know that I only make about five grand a year more than you, right?"

"Says that nice pinstriped suit." He pursed his lips into that one sided disbelieving smirk, "Better than yo girl over there. You hear her talk, she swears 1PP payin' her a rookie's salary."

"Which is why I can afford anything I want." Liv said with a smirk.

"Yeah." Fin's grin was mischievous, "Like a nice pinstriped suit."

Casey's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to bark a retort when someone plowed right into her and Olivia, sending all three of them tumbling to the ground. Flat on her back, Liv looked over to see who had slammed into her. The girl looked like a homeless woman, barely into her twenties with chestnut brown hair that was mangy, her face was filthy but well structured, her clothes smelled like a dumpster, and her coffee brown eyes were bright and wild.

Casey was stunned when the girl looked straight at Liv and whispered "Chase me."

Fin was halfway around the car when the girl scrambled to her feet and ran for it. Liv rolled to her feet and took off after her, "Stop! Police!"

"You okay?" Fin shouted to Casey.

Worried that Liv was chasing down an EDP with no backup, Casey nodded and yelled, "I'm okay. Go!"

The woman had to be deranged to run over someone and then tell them to chase them. Casey got up onto her feet and headed up the street after them. That was when she saw the two men in the Caprice chasing them.

* * *

At a dead run, The homeless girl jumped over a stack of newspapers. Liv pulled her Glock out of her holster but didn't bother putting her finger on the trigger. She wouldn't need the gun but she did make it look good.

"NYPD! Stop!" she shouted as she chased the much younger woman.

The girl looked back at her and ran into some big guy who took offense to her.

"Hey watch where your going!" He tried to grab her but she kneed him in the balls and took off again as he collapsed. Liv ran right passed the guy, continuing her pursuit.

"Goddamn it! Stop!" She yelled again.

They'd ran about two blocks when the girl ducked into an alley. Liv made it around the corner just in time to see the girl look over her shoulder before doing a baseball sliding dive right into a pile of garbage from the Chinese restaurant. She only got three quarters of the way under the mess before Liv caught up to her.

"Cover me." She gasped.

Liv kicked a separate bag into the pile. The woman caught it and Liv jerked another few bags over her head before jogging further into the alley. As Fin turned the corner, Liv made a sound of frustration and headed for the street.

"Where'd she go?" He huffed.

"I don't know!" Liv groaned, "I thought she turned in here and then she was gone. Shit!"

The silver Caprice screeched to a stop at the head of the alley. The driver stuck his head out and flashed a badge at them, "Where'd she go!"

Liv pointed up the street. "She must have kept going."

The passenger pointed and the driver backed up the car and peeled off, leaving Liv staring at Fin.

He frowned at them, "That was messed up. They didn't even ask our unit or anything."

"Yeah." Liv said as she caught her breath near the pile of garbage. "Strange."

Casey rushed into the alley and stopped as she saw Liv leaning against the wall.

"Honey, are you alright?" She asked and hurried to her girlfriend's side.

Fin blinked, almost insulted at being forgotten, until he saw the worried look on Casey's face. He smiled as he realized that Munch was right for a change. There was definitely something going on between Casey and Liv. Joking and wise cracking aside, Fin hadn't believed it until now.

"I'm fine." She said, "Fin, you good?"

"Mm, hmm." He said, eying Casey with false annoyance. "I'm good… _honey_."

At a loss for words, Casey gaped at him. She couldn't believe that she'd let that slip out but Liv had been leaning against a wall, out of breath, and the woman she'd been chasing was nowhere in sight. Since that almost never happened, Casey had jumped to the conclusion that her "never give up" girlfriend had been injured.

Fin chuckled at her and winked before turning towards the street, "I'ma go get the car."

"Fin!" Casey shouted.

"Check on your honey." He laughed, "I'll be right back."

Liv snorted and looked to her girlfriend, "You better stop him before he calls Munch."

Casey went pale, "He wouldn't."

"I heard something about a bet." Liv egged her on. "You better stop him or we're going to get outed."

Casey was torn between her desire to stop hiding their relationship and the need to protect the SVU. She hesitated but Liv wouldn't let her, "Go, Casey. I'd rather do it on our terms, Go."

Casey ran to catch up with Fin.

Liv hated herself for pushing at Casey's fears like that but until she found out what was going on, she wasn't about to give up her friend.

She knelt next to the garbage pile and sighed, "Next time your going to run from me, slow down! I'm not as young as I used to be."

One of the bags fell to reveal the face of Detective third grade Kate Beckett From Manhattan South covered in old chow mien. She reached up and pulled a hand full of it off of her face, "I did slow down."

Liv groaned, "Then remind me never to chase you at the Games, I'd like to keep some of my dignity."

Kate swiped her face with her dirty sleeve before groaning, "You've got to have some dignity before you can keep it."

"Says the woman buried in old Chinese." Liv chuckled.

Kate passed her a look and Liv grinned exaggeratedly, "You okay? You need anything?"

"I ripped my pants and my ass is hanging out while I'm sitting in something that I hope is lo mien." She grumbled before looking up at her, "You mind if I come by tonight, I could use a shower and a safe place to sleep."

"When?" Liv asked.

"After one." Kate said. "And if you could find me a dirty pair of jeans, that would be nice."

Smiling, Liv nodded, "I'll swing by your place and grab something replaceable."

"Thanks," Kate sighed as more of the nasty food fell on her face, "Cover me up before your partner and girlfriend get back and before any of this drips in my mouth."

"Who were those guys?" She said as she placed the bag over her head.

"Bad Vice cops, they killed two girls already but I need to get some more evidence." She said and then started laughing. "Your a peach, honey."

Liv took a handful of the nasty food and strategically dropped it on one of the bags, "And you stink."

Beckett chuckled until that oozing pile of noodle slid between the bags. Liv heard sputtering and then, "Damn it, Liv! My mouth was open!"

She chuckled as she walked away, finding Fin and Casey pulling up along the street in the squad car.

Casey got out of the front seat and held the door for her, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, really." She said, "that skinny little bitch was fast, that's all."

Casey nodded but noted that Liv was wiping her hands free of some of the old food from the alley.

 **A friend in need…**  
"I'll tell you what." Elliot said to Olivia after he and Munch returned from the DA's office. "Casey doesn't have Alex's political connections but she's has got some serious balls."

Don't I know it. She thought to herself. "What's she do now?"

Elliot gave her a cocky grin as he tried to hide his amusement. "She subpoenaed the Secretary of Defense for her case against the Army."

"Yer kidding." Fin said from his desk.

"Hell no." Elliot said in amusement, "She's going after them full bore."

"I figured she was gonna make some noise on this but…" Fin leaned back in his old chair, "I thought she's an army brat. Ain't her dad some army big shot?"

All eyes turned to Liv who just looked at them, "What?"

"You know what," Elliot said.

"C'mon Liv, spill." Munch prompted as he sat down at his desk.

She stared at them as they all watched her, "I feel like I'm the one in the box, what the hell?"

"C'mon, girl." Fin said with a slight smile, "Give us the 4-1-1 on daddy Novak."

Liv thought about her answer. While her friends suspected that there was something going on between her and Casey, no one had pushed the issue. Today, while Casey was going to war against the very organization that made her who she was, they all looked to her for insight. Fortunately, she could say a few things about Tom because of the trip to Virginia with Casey over the 4th of July.

"The Army has been Tom Novak's entire life outside of his children." She said casually, "All he's done over the last ten years is train new soldiers at A.P. Hill. If the Army is doing what we think they are, Tom would be more pissed than Casey but he wouldn't be able to do much about it. He's bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice so it's his duty to follow orders. But Casey is a civilian, outside of Army policy and regulation. Tom would feel that it's Casey's duty as both a citizen and an attorney to keep the military within the bounds of legality and if she didn't confront the Army, he'd be more disappointed in her for not stopping them from needlessly endangering soldiers and their families."

"Well Quinium certainly qualifies as needless endangerment." Elliot said.

Liv turned towards her desk, "But I guarantee you that when he hears about it, he'll be on the phone with her and I wouldn't want to be on the end of that conversation."

"That's because it's going to suck worse than this garbage." Casey said as she came in and threw a court paper down on Liv's desk.

"Everything okay, counselor?" Cragen asked as he came out of his office. Hoping that something bad hadn't developed on the case.

"Amelia's trial was pushed back, again." She huffed. "I swear, every time I put in for a day off that jackass Buckmore gets it adjourned for a new date."

Liv perked her head up and frowned, "He's pushing it back, Again?"

"I swear, He's either doing this to piss me off, or he's working for the other side."Casey groaned, "If I could get proof one way or another I'd take him to the New York BAR association."

"You know," Elliot turned to face her in his chair and leaned back while flicking his pen against his other hand. "We could put in an official NYPD inquiry into the court system in Osinning."

Cragen leaned against a desk and looked at him, "We don't have any skin in this other than the accusation."

"That's not true." Munch said as he leaned forward at his desk, "SVU was the unit that brought her original case to the DA for prosecution. Therefore the Arresting Officers and the District attorney can make an official request to be notified of the status of her case since now she's a victim of a sex crime."

"Because of the possibility of Mitigating circumstances that could allow her original plea agreement to be revisited." Casey finished, "but I'm her sister, so I can't put it in because it's a conflict of interest…"

"Except if the arresting officers or the unit commander put in the request." Cragen finished and looked at Casey, "I'll have it typed up for you in the morning."

Casey smiled, "Your a sweetheart, Don."

"Amelia Chase is in there for a reason." Cragen said firmly, "But that's no excuse for what these guys did to her. She's paying for her crimes and these bastards should too. I could be opening up a can of worms by opening this door for her that could reduce her sentence."

"Look, I know that what she did was wrong," Casey said to him and to the rest of the group, "My dad feels like he didn't do enough to find her, that what she did was his fault."

"Tom can't blame himself." Liv said softly. "It wasn't his fault."

"Look at me, Olivia." Casey barked back, "I turned out alright. Amelia would have too if she'd been raised by our dad."

"You don't know that." Fin said, "Maybe she wouldn't be so messed up but there's no way for you to say that she would've turned out like you did."

"Look," Elliot cut in, "You know that things would have been different if Amelia was given the same chance that you had, but it didn't happen. She's in prison and she's going to need you because now she's a victim instead of a perp."

"But I can't help her." Casey interrupted, "I'm the ADA for the bureau that put her in there so I can't exactly start feeding her this kind of information without compromising my integrity. Conflict of Interest is a serious issue, one that I've never had before. As far as my sister goes, the good news is that any lawyer worth a lick would see Mitigating Circumstances in an instant."

"Your Job gives you a view that few have, Casey." Liv added, "You're sister was assaulted in prison and the guys who did it aren't people on the street, their guards. Which means that they will do what ever they have to to get away with it."

"And you're the only one who can make sure they don't." Cragen finished. "Buckmore sounds like he's dragging his feet on Amelia's case, hoping something happens to her on the inside so he can drop it. Don't let him."

"We all had a hand in putting Amelia behind bars." Munch said to the ADA, "We did it because she broke the law and that's our job. The guards broke the law too and we'll help you get justice for Amelia, the same as we did to get justice for Sidney Greene because it's our job."

"But this time we're also here for you, Casey." Liv said and put a hand on her thin shoulder.

Casey nodded and smiled at Liv.

"And on that note, everyone out." Cragen announced, "Good job today people."

"Sound plan." Fin said and snatched his jacket from the chair while smiling at Casey. "I gotta date wit a nice lookin' honey."

Casey pinched her face in frustration.

"I should check on my commodities anyway." Munch said as he followed fin out, "I hear honey is up."

"Speaking of honey." Elliot said with a smile, "I better call Kathy and find out if I'm stopping on the way home."

Her heart pounded in her throat as she turned to Liv in a panic.  
Her girlfriend was busy putting her files away as Cragen headed back to his office, "Night, Honey." He said as he shut the door.

Casey fell into Liv's chair and groaned, "They all know."

Liv put a hand on her shoulder again, "C'mon, honey. I've got the car tonight so I'll drive you home."

"Oh, shit!" Casey shouted and looked up at Liv, "I forgot. My super called me and said that a pipe burst in the floor above my apartment. He said my carpet is soaked through and they had to tear it out. Can I stay with you tonight?"

Liv hesitated slightly, not because Casey would ever not be welcome, but because of her expected house guest. She needed to maintain Kate's cover but she couldn't deny Casey.

"Sure." She said softly, "Let me get my purse and we can go."

 **…Is a friend indeed.**

Though sometimes she stole the covers on Liv's bed, more often than not it was to get her detective to snuggle in closer to her. Liv constantly joked that the reason the red head was so pale was because she was always freezing. Not that Liv minded because it gave her the perfect excuse to hold Casey close and Casey loved having Liv's body pressed against her.

So it was unusual that Casey awoke to a chill along her bare back because it was something that never happened at Liv's apartment. She pulled the blanket enough to usually bring Liv closer but uncovered her back and side. Casey rolled onto her back to reached for Liv and came up with only an empty bed. She sat up, clutching the blanket to herself and glanced at Liv's alarm clock. It was after three in the morning and as Casey slung her legs over the bed, she heard the shower running and figured that her girlfriend had gotten called out to a scene.

Casey left the blanket on the bed and headed into the bathroom to give her sexy detective a little "good morning" in the shower. Nothing like an unexpected quickie when you get called out to work early. Completely naked, Casey slipped quietly into the bathroom and gently slid her foot into the bathtub, smiling at herself for getting to be the one to surprise her girlfriend.

Unfortunately, She was the one who got the surprise as the brunette who Liv had chased down earlier spun around and let out a surprised yelp.

Casey screamed and as she tried to jump back, she slipped and fell backward onto the tile floor.

The woman jumped out of the tub, "Jesus, Are you alright?"

She tried to reach for Casey but the redhead scooted back along her backside away from her, sheer terror in her eyes. "Liv!"

Olivia burst into the bathroom and seeing Casey on the floor reached for her, "Honey, are you okay?"

Casey took Liv's arm and got to her feet before hiding behind her. Liv looked her girlfriend over carefully, "Casey?"

"She's here?!" She shouted, her fear turning to anger at the lithe naked brunette who was now clutching a towel to herself. "Who the hell is that?"

"That's Kate." Liv said. "She's a Cop."

"Goddamn it, Liv!" Kate barked. "I'm undercover!"

"Finish your shower." She said over her shoulder, "there's hot food on the table and the couch is made up."

"Sonuvabitch." She grumbled as she stepped back under the spray. "Just go blurting my name off to your girlfriend while I'm sneaking around on the goddamn street."

Liv rolled her eyes and lead Casey back into the bedroom. "Kate's been undercover for a while and it was pure luck that she ran into us."

"So why is she here?" Casey snapped as she pulled her clothes on, "And why didn't you tell me?"

Liv sighed,"Because she was just supposed to come in and use my shower,leave a note for her captain and be out before you'd even wake up. But she just found out that her case just got a whole lot bigger and she's exhausted. I offered her my couch so she can safely get some sleep."

Casey looked away and cupped her hand over her forehead before she took a deep breath and calmed down. "So you're giving her shelter."

Liv nodded. "She's a friend and a damn good cop."

It was such a Liv thing to do. Offer a friend in need a safe place to sleep. Casey looked over at her girlfriend, "so that whole chasing thing earlier today?"

"I thought she'd let me chase her down so I could take her in to check in or something." Liv said, "It was just a way to keep her cover in place."  
Casey thought she understood but it was a lot different than the way Liv described their undercovers at SVU. But considering that the girl Kate was under for longer than their typical cases, it would make sense.

She finally sighed and nodded, "So what can I do to help?"

Liv smiled slightly, her love never ceased to amaze her. "Best thing you can do is let her sleep and forget you ever saw her."

Casey went over to the dresser where she kept a few of her clothes and pulled out her faded green flannel pajamas,

"These are super comfy." She said as she passed them to Liv, "I love you but your sweats are scratchy."

Liv pulled Casey into her arms and kissed her. "Thank you for understanding."

Casey kissed her back and as her lover left to hand over the pj's, Casey slid back into bed and tried not to think about the hot brunette in Liv's bathroom.

"Seriously?!" She heard the voice that held a melodic Manhattan accent. Who ever the cop was, she was a well spoken woman with a very clear annunciation that said she was well educated. "Jesus, Liv, you didn't tell me your girlfriend was spending the night."

"Relax," Liv replied, "She won't say anything, your cover is intact, your case is proceeding and you don't have to sleep in an alley with one eye open. These are for you."

"These aren't yours."

"No, but Case—, um, my girlfriend said their really comfortable."

Casey heard a sigh and then, "Thanks. Thanks for letting me stay."

"Hey, I've been there so drop in any time. Meanwhile, can you keep my relationship to yourself?"

"Worried about getting outed?" Came a chuckle.

"Not really, just, I don't want it getting around. It's the job, you know."

"Sure Liv," Kate said, "I'll keep your secret."

Casey drifted off then, barely registering Liv's arms around her a few minutes later. She completely missed Liv's phone ringing around five am and the cop's lips on her cheek as she left the apartment fifteen minutes later.

* * *

Though a military brat all her life, mornings were not Casey's favorite time of the day. However mornings when she woke up in Olivia's bed, surrounded by Olivia's sweet scent, she always awoke with a smile on her face despite her detective's really loud and annoying alarm clock. These mornings were only surpassed by waking up buried in Liv's arms, and they only got better from there. But looking over at the empty bed, she figured out that Liv had left early.

Sliding out of bed she made her way into the bathroom where she intended to bathe in Liv's soap and shampoo to make up for her love's absence. She made her way through the living room, unaware of the single coffee colored eye that watched her from the mess of blankets on the couch.

Casey hadn't really payed attention until she was dressed minus her suit jacket. She'd carried her low heels into the living room so she could sit and slide them on when the moving pile of blankets blinked and looked up at her.

She looked completely different from the disgusting street urchin she'd been when she ran over them yesterday. Now Casey could see the intelligent detective for who she was. With no make up, her eyes were still red, and she still had dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. Her hair was now clean and shiny though mussed from being mashed against one of Liv's pillows, a far cry from it's filthy unkempt appearance of the day before.

Casey smiled softly at the woman, "Is there anything you want me to get for you before I have to go? Breakfast or something?"

"Your going to leave me in here, alone?" The woman blinked, "Your awfully trusting."

"Not really," Casey smiled knowingly, "If she left you alone with me, then she trusts you enough to stay here for the day."

Smiling, Kate shook her hair, "She's a good friend."

"She is." Casey stood up, "SO if there's something you need, i can run down to the corner and pick it up so you're not seen."

Dropping her head back on the couch she sighed, "No. Thank you, but I'm fine. But tell Liv that I said her couch sucks."

Laughing Casey, bobbed her head, "It is kinda lumpy."

She then went to the linen closet and pulled out a new set of sheets before disappearing into the bedroom. She came out a few minutes later with a bundle in her arms that she dumped into the hamper in the bathroom before heading back to the couch.

"I changed the sheets in the bed if you'd rather sleep there." She said, "the curtains in there block out the daylight for those times she has to work really late. I closed them so it's a lot darker in there too."

Kate sat up and stretched out her shoulder with a loud pop as she groaned. "You don't mind?"

"It's not like anyone else is going to use it while we're at work." Casey snorted, "Besides, I know what undercover means for a cop and though I don't know you, i know my girlfriend and some of the things she's had to do. Go sleep in the bed and rest up for as long as you can. You're safer if you don't leave so if you think of something you want, let Liv know and one of us can bring it to you later."

A thin smile rose from her and revealed slight dimples, "I can see why she likes you, Red."

Casey smiled again, "My name is Casey."

"Kate," She replied hesitantly, "But try to remember that I'm not here. You never seen me."

"You don't have to worry about that." Casey reassured, "I'm with a cop so i know all about undercover. I'm also an attorney, so I know confidentiality."

As she stood up, Kate let loose a wide mouthed yawn while she stretched out her arms and back. Finally she grabbed the corner of the blanket and nodded her head to Casey, "Thanks. I appreciate you and Liv letting me catch a break."

"Go on." Casey said as she lightly shoved her towards the bedroom, "I'll lock up."  
Kate dragged the blanket across the floor as she went into the dark bedroom and climbed into the bed.

"It smells like sex in here!" She chuckled.

Casey laughed, "Why do you thing I changed the sheets?"

"At least i know your taking care of her." Kate said as she hurried her face in the pillows.

Trying not to be embarrassed, Casey finished packing up and finally threw on her suit jacket and gathered her coat. Her phone rang and she picked it up without even a glance at the ID.

"This is Novak."

 _"Casey?"_

"Dad?" She gasped. "I take it you heard."

 _"The last time I got a call from the Pentagon I wasn't able to sit down for a week. Do you want to explain to me why I just got smoked by General Hastings from the DOA?"_

"Because he's trying to intimidate me." Casey said matter-of-factly.

 _"Why?"_ He asked _"What's going on?"_

"Are you familiar with Quinium?"

 _"Partly,"_ he replied, _"It's a malaria vaccine for overseas soldiers."_

"It caused two reservists here to go crazy and that's just the tip of the iceberg." She replied, "I know that you're supposed to put pressure on me to stop this daddy but I can't. Innocent people are dying over this stuff. I have a soldier here who killed his wife in a Quinium induced paranoid state and I have to stop it."

Tom hesitated, _"Are you certain of this?"_

"I am." Casey replied firmly.

 _"Good, then you know what you have to do."_ He replied, _"And while your ending my career you remember what I told you the day you graduated from Harvard."_  
Casey frowned until she vividly remembered his words.

 _"Casey," Tom said as he took her diploma and held it up in front of her, "With this kind of authority comes Responsibility. You now have a duty to speak for other people. You have to always act in their best interests. Others will try to stop you, they may try to harm you in some way, but it is your duty to stand and be heard for those who can't. You must be committed to doing what's right regardless of what anyone else tells you and regardless of the consequences. As a Prosecutor you must stand for the victims against all enemies, against all odds, and see to it that they get their day in court. It's our constitutional right as a people to be heard and it's your duty to never let anyone take that away from any American Citizen."_

"I remember my duty." She replied. "It's why I can't let it go."

 _"Then honor your commitments."_ He said, _"I'll tell your mother you said hello."_

He hung up without another word and Casey tucked the phone into her pocket.

"Hey Casey?" The voice came from the bedroom.

She looked over at the door and called out, "Yeah?"

Kate appeared in the bedroom door, "I've known her for a while and when she talked about you, last night, she has this look I've never seen from her before."

Her curiosity peaked, Casey tipped her head slightly, "What look?"

"this stupid looking lovesick teenager look." Kate said with a grin, "She loves you, Casey, and after hearing you talk to your dad I can see why. It takes a lot more than looks for her.

"I know she hasn't said it to you." Kate added, "But don't think she doesn't feel it. If you knew what i did, you'd know why she stopped saying it. I've seen it with my own eyes and i see her with you. If something happened to you… It would be way worse. So watch your back."

Casey paused to consider what Kate was saying but before she could reply, Kate was already back in bed.

Leaving Kate to sleep, Casey left the apartment and locked all three of Liv's locks before she headed out of the building. Today, she would honor her commitments, today she would find a way to get the Army in front of a Grand Jury.


	21. Chapter 21

**_A/N: Rough ride over the last couple of weeks. Sorry I'm not as consistent as I used to be, one day I won't have so much on my plate. My Muse is basically working part-time at the moment and I really don't want to ship junk so I'll dole them out as I put them together. Meanwhile, here's Amelia._**

 ** _Misandry  
_** **Bedford Hills , New York.**

 _My Dearest Aimee._

 _When I asked Casey about writing you, she thought it was a good idea but told me to be completely honest with you. So that's what I'm going to do. My name is Caroline and I guess I'm your stepmother. You know, I never thought of myself as a stepmother. To me, Greg, Denis, Casey, and you especially, you're all my children, I raised your brothers from toddlers and your sister from diapers._

 _I'm so sorry for what happened to you. Like your father, I feel responsible for your situation because I wasn't there to be the mother that you should have had. The mother that your sister had. When your father told me that you'd been found, I cried for hours. At first in joy and relief that our family could be whole again, until he told me where you were and why. I cried even more for you. Please don't be offended. If you can, try to see it from my point of view._

 _Where you never knew I existed, I've thought of and worried over you all of your life. My darling child who was stolen from us so long ago. I've prayed for you every night and begged the Good Lord to return you to us. I don't know what awful things happened to you, I won't even hazard a guess at what your life was like, but I've got an overabundance of southern patience so I'll wait for you to tell me in person, when you're ready._

 _I guess I should tell you something about myself, I'm from southern Mississippi, Picayune to be specific. I grew up with southern values and traditions that I'm very proud of and I've passed them on to your brothers and sister. I like to think that it's part of what made them such wonderful people. Like your father, I was married once before and like Tom, I was widowed. My first husband died in Vietnam. My parents weren't exactly thrilled when I married a soldier but after having two husbands who were both soldiers, I have no regrets. Andrew was a good man who made me feel special and I loved him very much. Though I could see us together till the end, he died in the fall of Saigon and left me cold and alone._  
 _Until the day I met your father._

 _I was buying boxes from the PX because the Army was making me leave my home at Fort Lee, they do that when your soldier dies and I wasn't looking forward to going back to my parents home. I saw a hand written note on the PX bulletin board._

 _"Army Widower in need of a quality nanny for two small boys. Off Post housing provided with full access to all of the homes amenities."_

 _I took the note to your father and after a long conversation of our histories, he helped me move into his home and I've been with him ever since. You wouldn't think it but he was actually quite bashful at first, very considerate of my private needs as a woman. When I moved in, I was very surprised to see that he put me into the master bedroom. When I asked him why he simply said that a woman requires her privacy so he gave me the room so I'd have my own bathroom. He also brought both Greg and Denis to the door and made them both promise never to go into my room without my permission and never without me there._

 _And just so you know the kind of man your father is, never once did he come into that room without my expressed invitation._

 _It was a mutually beneficial arrangement at first, romance didn't come until much later but truthfully I believe I started to fall for him a little every day._

 _The day your father found out that he had two daughters is a day I'll never forget. He sent the boys out to play in the backyard and asked me if we could talk privately. I thought he was going to ask me out on a date, until I saw the way he was looking down at his feet. The way he refused to even meet my gaze._

 _I'd never known him to show such emotion before and even to this day, its rare to see more than subtle expressions of his feelings. He said that he'd done something that he was ashamed of. He'd made love to a woman that he didn't know. He told me that she'd given birth to twin girls and that she'd given them up for adoption._

 _Mind you that we didn't have a relationship outside of friendship and raising those boys. Yet he looked as guilty as if he'd committed adultery against me. Truthfully, I was quite hurt by his words, but as I looked out of my windows and saw your brothers chasing each other around the back yard, I knew what i was going to say._

 _"You've done a very foolish thing, Thomas Novak." I said to him, "But now is not the time for regrets. A father's first duty is to his children. You have two little girls out there that you fathered. You go get them and bring them home. We'll discuss their conception after their home."_  
 _While your father went out to the adoption agency I went and picked up a large crib for the both of you. I still believe one of the cruelest things someone can do is separate twin infants. He came home that evening with Casey in his arms and said the Adoption agency was having trouble contacting the other family. The agency said they'd send a lady to get you._

 _I held Casey in my arms and dreamed about the day when I could hold you both at the same time. I had no idea that it would be so long until I could. It didn't take long to realize that there was a problem getting you home. The Adoption agency was starting to avoid our calls and then your father took a squad of troops to their office where the manager was persuaded to tell the truth. I don't know how angry your father was but the men with him never once crossed him again._

 _What I do remember was him coming home that night and going straight to Casey. He held that little red haired baby long after I put the boys to bed. When I looked in on him, he told me that you were missing. I'd never seen him cry before but after he laid Casey back in the crib i'd bought for the both of you, he fell to his knees. I got down behind him and held him as he wept for you. The next day, Tom was at the State Police putting out a missing child report and using his service as leverage to get them moving. But there was no sign of you. For months, when your father wasn't on duty at the base, he was running searches on where you could have been taken. Even after Virginia gave up, he never did._

 _I was at home, raising your brothers and taking care of your sister. Every day, as I cared for Casey, i saw you out there alone and without your family or your sister. Every day broke my heart a little as i watched her grow into the beautiful woman she is and that i know you have also become. Every time i looked at her, I was reminded that you were out there. I prayed for you every night, prayed that you were in a good home and that you were loved. I prayed that the Lord would send us some news about you._

 _Until finally, I knew you'd been found. I don't know a lot about why your in that awful place but I do know that when you can, you'll finally come home. I can't wait for the day when i can finally pull you in to my arms and hold you._

 _My beloved daughter, how much i ache to finally meet you._

 _With all of my heart and my enduring love,_

 _Caroline._

Letting her hand fall to her side, she kept her fingers tight against the letter she'd received. Amelia closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the block wall of her cell. The words on the pages brought her no peace but they were heart felt and though they angered her, she was also saddened by them. Caroline had been devastated by her abduction. Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the guard.

"Chase, you got a visitor."

Though not really one for emotions, Amelia smiled lightly in spite of herself. Over the last month and a half, Casey had made sure that she'd visited at least twice a week. Especially whenever Buckmore came to discuss her case. Then Casey was all over the prosecutor, much to Buckmore's dismay.

Amelia grabbed her shoes and slipped them on her feet as Torres unlocked the cell door. She held her hands up to be cuffed and the tough guard gave her a look.

"You're not going to give me any problems, right?"

Amelia shook her head, "Not today."

Torres's lip twitched and held the edge of a grin, "Good. We'll skip the cuffs today as long as you keep that in mind."

She took a step away from the gate as Amelia stepped out. "Back to the yard?"

"Visitor's Center." Torres replied as she pointed down the block. "It's not Casey."

Amelia blinked at her as she started down the block, "Who is it?"

"The sheet says Novak but I didn't catch the guy's first name." She said right before they came to the block gate. It buzzed and Torres lead the way down to the visitors center.

A few minutes later she walked into the holding area where prisoner's restraints were usually removed,

Torres faced off with Amelia, "There's a safety glass wall separating you from your visitor and a phone on the right. your conversation will be monitored so don't get yourself in trouble."

Amelia nodded as she felt her nerves jump. Her father had that effect on her though the reason was mostly gender based. That and the air of command that radiated from every pore of his body. He was a man who was very much used to speaking and having everyone do what he said. Casey said it comes from a lifetime of service. Amelia hadn't seen much of him once she was released from Bellevue and sent to Bedford Hills. He had only visited her once since she'd come here and Amelia hadn't exactly been nice when he did.

The little dick FBI shrink called it severe misandry, the hatred and distrust of all things male. Despite believing his story about her false adoption and the Novak's subsequent quest to find her, Amelia hated Tom Novak for the hell that was her life and routinely took it out on him verbally during that visit. The man's patience with her irritated her to distraction.

She didn't want to be so snappy with him but… Her thoughts were interrupted by the man who sat on the other side of the window. As tall as Tom Novak, instead of having greying hair his was all black. He wore a casual button up shirt and jeans but what set Amelia off was that lopsided grin. She sat down at the window and picked up the phone.

"Who the hell are you?' She snapped.

He was taken aback slightly at her hostile tone. "I'm your brother, Denis."

"Sure you are." She replied.

He grinned at her and pulled out his wallet. "I figured you might not believe me so…" He pressed a picture to the glass. It was of him, Casey and another young Tom Novak clone, all three in baseball gear and smiling with their arms over each other's shoulders.

"Dad told me that Casey had found you. I would've come to see you earlier but life in the Army is all about paperwork."

Amelia snorted, "Paperwork."

He grinned again and put his wallet away, "Yep. You need to take time off, so you check your Leave and Earnings Statement to see how much you've earned. Fill out a leave request form, hand it in to your supervisor, who takes it up to the company commander, who decides if he will grant your leave. He passes it down that there's something going on that week and requests a different time…" He shrugged, "Bureaucracy… in triplicate. That's the Army way. So, here I am. Your slightly older but very charming half brother from another mother."

Amelia just stared at him as he started laughing, then sobered as he realized she wasn't.

"Sooo…" he shifted in the chair. "I bet the food in there is better than the crap I have to eat on the base."

"Really." She snarled. "I bet the showers are better too. Hard to beat getting your back washed while a guard sticks his dick in your ass."

Denis choked at her words. Though Casey and his dad warned him that Aimee was hostile to men, he hadn't been prepared for her venom.

"Wow," he gaped, "okay, I guess maybe I should let you get to know me a little better before I try to be funny. Sorry, Aimee."

"Get to know you?!" She shouted and stood up, "Let me tell you what you need to know about me, funny guy. I've had it with this whole family coming out of the woodwork bullshit! Don't you people understand? My life fucking sucked because of all of you! I've been beaten, molested, gang raped, and nearly killed because of your fucking family. I've had a cock shoved in every hole I have at the same time by charming little pricks in uniform like you. I strangled a better lay than you so fuck off!"

She slammed the phone down and walked out to where Torres stood more than a little surprised.

 **Apartment of Casey Novak**

While Liv was stuck working late Casey had the idea of coming home, changing into the corset and thong she'd bought for her lovely detective and heading over to Make sure her day ended with a smile. She rushed in with a grin on her face until she saw her brother sitting on her couch. His usual fun demeanor was somber as he sipped at a beer.

"Hey," she said as she sat her briefcase down on the table, "I thought you were going to see Amelia."

"Yeah, that didn't go well. She basically accused me of every bad thing that happened to her." He looked up at her and frowned, "what did happen to her? She said she was molested and gang raped."

Casey lost her happy look as she sat down next to her brother.

"I don't know a lot about what happened when she was growing up. She gets really, really, pissed when I bring it up so I'm waiting for her to open up on her own. All I do know is that she was abused by her adopted family."

Denis nodded and his head drooped, "so she raped a guy in return?"

Casey took the beer out of his hand before taking a large swallow. She handed it back and cleared her throat.

"She's in prison for murder, Denis." Casey said solemnly.

Denis lifted his head to stare at her. "Murder?"

Nodding, Casey sat with her elbows on her knees. "Three years ago, a woman named Sydney Green was found tied up in a self-bondage choking rig. She'd appeared to have died from auto-erotica asphyxiation. It took a few days before they figured out that it was a murder staged to look like an accidental death.

"Sidney had two friends she hung out with a lot. Pamela Adler was a defense attorney and Amelia Chase was a day trader."

Denis blinked, "As in Aimee?"

Nodding Casey took his beer again, "Amelia is an auto-erotic and I think it was because of how she was abused as a child. She, Pamela, and Sidney tied down and raped a male stripper at Sidney's bachelorette party. When he filed a civil suit against them Sidney was going to pay him to drop the charges. Pamela and Amelia killed her to stop her from naming them in the lawsuit."

She took another drink before continuing. "They had Amelia for the rape and the murder but the cops wanted Pam as well. They didn't have enough to get her so the ADA gave her a plea bargain for her testimony. It wasn't enough. Pam walked on the rape but…"

She hesitated and Denis called her on it "but what?"

Casey took a deep breath and looked her brother in the eyes. "But Liv is a very good at her job."

His eyes widening, Denis stood up. "Liv?!"

She nodded. "She found Pam's fingerprints on the ceiling of Sidney's condo where they tied a rope around the ceiling fan. She arrested Pam as she walked out from her acquittal. Pam got the minimum sentence of sixteen years while Amelia's deal still put her away for twenty-five."

Denis put his hand to his head and walked around in a circle. He stopped again and looked at her, "Liv put her away?"

Casey nodded. "She didn't know me then and never put it together that we're twins. She found out when she was looking in to Aimee's disappearance for me."

Reeling as if dizzy, Denis sat down on the couch again. "Jesus, dad never said anything about this."

"You know dad." She replied, "He doesn't always tell us everything."

"Casey!" He shouted, "Your girlfriend put your twin sister up in the big house for murder! I like Liv but how do you go on after that?"

"It's not easy." She admitted, "But Amelia did strangle Sidney Green. She did rape Peter Smith. Liv did her job and provided the DA's office with a case and evidence to convict."

"Yeah and that did a number on Amelia, let me tell you. That woman wanted to cut off my star players and I'd only just met her."

"Yeah well, Amelia's been through a lot." She said as she stood up, "Both out of prison and inside. She has a severe hatred for all things male right now. Given what they did to her at Sing Sing, I can't blame her. I don't agree with it but I understand her hatred. She's been raped, repeatedly. You don't know what one time can do to a woman's mind. I've seen it all in this job. But what happened to her is worse than anything I've seen yet. Hell, we're lucky she's as sane as she is."

That's the thing," Denis scoffed, "I don't think she is. Aimee was mean at first but then She just flew off the handle when I apologized for trying to be funny."

"Amelia." Casey corrected, "She's gets very upset when you call her Aimee."

Denis paused mid argument as he though back to his visit.

Not missing the look, Casey shook her head, "you already did it, didn't you."

"Damn," he nodded, "yeah I did."

Casey put a hand on his shoulder, "Well, don't feel too bad about it. She said some pretty awful things to dad too."

"How did he take it?" Denis asked, remembering when he'd smarted of to toe old war dog.

Casey smiled, "Better than i thought he'd ever take something like what she'd said. But between her misandry and feeling guilty for not finding her, Daddy has been a lot more understanding than anyone."

"Yeah well, in some ways he's not the same dad we grew up with." Denis leaned back in the couch. "How did dad take it when he found out Liv put Aim-, I mean Amelia, away?"

Casey shrugged as she got up and headed to her fridge. "You know a dad, he loves us but if we did something stupid, he'd let us take the heat for it."

"Yeah but How many hits can he take. You don't come home for the holidays, when you do you tell him your dating a woman. That woman finds his missing kid. Then he finds out she was the one who put her away for murder." Casey handed him a fresh beer as he looked up to her. "That's a lot to take on one swing of a year, Case. I like Liv but this whole Aimee slash Amelia couldn't be sitting well with him."

"Daddy understands the difficult position Liv is in." Casey said softly, "I know that because he explained it to me in that way of his."

Snorting, Denis twisted the top off the beer bottle. "He made you stand at attention and shoveled logic and reason on you like it was manure."

Casey grinned and nodded. "Until you stank of it."

Denis laughed, "So the old guy has a heart that wasn't issued at Basic. Who knew?"

With the tension broken, Casey stood up and headed towards her bedroom. "And on that note, I'm going to put on something sexy for my girlfriend and wait for her in her bed."

Groaning, Denis's head fell back on the couch, "Seriously, I'm happy that your happy but you can keep those kind of plans to yourself. Really don't need all of that."

She grabbed the door and smirked at him. "Becky told me all about that little red dress she wears for you on occasion. The one that she can't wear—"

"Hey!" He shouted as he sat up, "Again, I don't need to know that you know that! Gross!"

Casey laughed as she shut herself into her room.


End file.
